Elona Moriah: The Beautiful Miracle of Erebor
by HuntressofHope
Summary: Book 1 of 3: Thorin goes to Laketown one night to celebrate, and finds a young, orphaned elf malnourished and abused by the people of the town. Will the hard king allow Elona to worm herself into his heart, or will he continue with his original plan to send her to live with the Woodland elves as soon as she is well? No romance, unless you count Kili and Tauriel, or slash.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Surprise in Laketown **

Thorin sighed as he closed his eyes, relishing in the feeling of the wind in his long hair. He was on his way to Laketown; the Master had invited him and his nephews to come celebrate the fifth anniversary of Smaug's defeat. Fili and Kili were seated on either side of him in his large boat, and the towers of Laketown were rising in the distance.

"Everything alright Uncle?" Kili asked, hearing his sigh. Kili had fared the best out of all of them through the Battle of the Five Armies, coming out only with a thick scar cutting through his left eye and ending at his chin, and an arrow wound in his right leg. The arrow wound healed quite well, but he will have the scar for life.

Fili, on the other hand, did not fare quite as well. An arrow had damaged his lung, making it hard for him to breathe at times, and talked with a slight wheeze when he was tired or cold. A rock had also fallen on his left foot, giving him a distinct limp.

"Aye Kili, I am alright." He answered his young nephew. Kili shrugged and went back to looking at the water, probably dreaming about the elf he fancies, Tauriel. At first, Thorin was strictly against this relationship, but after he saw how happy she made his nephew and that she was nothing like her heartless cousins, he allowed Kili to keep seeing Tauriel, not that he could really stop him if he tried. Soon, he came to think of the young elleth as a daughter, and she confides in him as a father, seeing as she never knew hers.

They soon entered the dock of Laketown to be greeted by Bard, the Master. "Thorin! How are you my friend?" Bard greeted him, coming to shake his hand when he had stepped off the boat, Fili and Kili tailing him. "As good as can be expected I believe," Thorin answered in his usual gruffness.

"Excellent. And Fili and Kili, I expect you to be well?" The two heirs of Durin bowed to their old friend. "Yes Master Bard, quite well," Fili answered for them, being the oldest. "And your mother?" Bard inquired after Dis, Thorin's sister. "She is still trying to take over my job, so I guess everything is going just fine." Kili said with his quirky smile. Kili was Thorin's chief soldier, second only to him in the army of Erebor.

Bard smiled, "I am guessing that you three are hungry? Let us go eat then." As Bard led the three dwarves through his town, Thorin marveled at how it had changed since the fall of Smaug. Instead of the gloomy, suspicious atmosphere, Laketown now burst with color, the citizens of it alive with joy that the shadow that the dragon had cast on them was gone.

The man and the three dwarves feasted well into the night with the rest of the town. Kili and Fili laughing along with the younger elves and men, and Bard and Thorin conversing with the older, wiser groups that remembered the older days, before Smaug had come. As the night wore on, Thorin found himself alone, content to watch his nephews and enjoy his pipe in silence.

Thorin was grinning at Fili, who was trying to impress a young woman, when a small girl weaving through the crowd caught his eye. Unlike the others in the square, this young girl wore dirty, grey rags that hung loosely on a thin frame. She had long, stringy brown hair that hid most her face from Thorin, but he could tell that she was extremely malnourished from her thin frame and pale skin.

Thorin watched as she snuck up to an apple cart at the end of the square, waited until the vendor's back was turned, grabbed and apple, and took off running through the crowd. Thorin thought that the girl might get away, but she was too slow. The vendor saw her running with one of his apples in hand, and took off after her. Thorin made a split second decision, and hurried after the two. Little did he know that decision would affect his life forever.

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><p><strong>AN: Okay, I know what you're thinking, "Finish your other stories first, then start a new one." I just want to say, I am NOT abandoning my other fics. I have just been extremely busy lately and don't have much free time anymore. <strong>

**This plot has been rolling around my head for a while now, and I finally decided to do something about it. Tell me if i should continue, kk? I love all my wonderful followers and reviewers, and I want to thank my Kili for all the love you have shown me in these past weeks. I love you sis and am so grateful God put you in my life. **

**So yeah, I'm done getting emotional now. R&R won't cha? Constructive criticism only please, and I fully welcome any ideas or plot lines you guys might have. I might not use them, since I already have an idea where this might go, but I still love the fresh ideas you guys have. Remember, I won't continue this unless you guys seriously want me to. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Trust Me**

Thorin hurried after the vendor and the little thief, not knowing exactly what he was doing, but worried about what the man might do to the starved little girl. He followed them through dark alleys and scurried over bridges, until he finally saw the small girl had been cornered in an alley that had a fence at the back. Seeing she had been caught, the girl whirled around, her eyes wide with fear. She started shaking and her face turned an even unhealthier pale. Apparently this had happened before, and the outcome had not been very good.

"You stupid, worthless, disgusting, thieving little elf," the tall man snarled. "Give me back my apple and I might let you out with both hands attached." The young elf clutched the apple to her chest as she shrunk down, curling herself into a ball as if to protect herself. "No," the man said in a mocking tone. "Then so be it." He advanced on the girl with clenched fists. As he raised his left hand, Thorin realized what he intended to do, and would not stand for it, even if she was an elf.

"Halt!" Thorin commanded in his most forceful voice. However, the vendor either didn't hear Thorin in time, or was choosing to ignore him, and brought his hand down on the small elfling with a resounding _crack!_ Thorin saw red as the girl was thrown sideways, the apple rolling to the ground. He drew his sword and leveled it at the man's neck. "I said, halt." He growled in a deadly calm voice. The man stiffened and turned around to see Thorin glowering at him. Even though the dwarf only reached his chest, the man was still scared out of his wits at the sight of the mad king.

"M…my lord Th…Thorin! I…I did not n…notice you there!" he stammered. "Apparently not," Thorin snarled. "You have five seconds to run before you feel my hammer in your head, starting now." The man scrambled to get away from the mad dwarf, tripping over his feet in his haste. Thorin put his sword away as he turned to face the girl. She had curled herself into a tight ball on her side and was starting to shake uncontrollably. If from fear or cold, Thorin did not know, but he was worried about her all the same.

He approached her slowly, worried about her reaction to his presence. When she didn't acknowledge him, Thorin knelt down by her face and reached out a hand to rest on her shoulder. She started at the contact, and jerked her head out of her arms, giving a small scream. She scrambled back into a corner, her eyes wide and fearful. Thorin noticed they were a shocking emerald, brighter than the grass on a sunny day. He could tell that her dirty face was once beautiful, and her matted hair once lush and full.

"It's alright," Thorin whispered. "My name is Thorin, I want to help you." The elfling searched him with her shining eyes, taking in his black hair and fine furs, before her gaze rested on the apple beside him. Thorin pick it up and held it out to her after wiping it off. The girl eyed the apple hungrily before slowly relaxing and reaching out. Thorin moved forward so that she was barely touching the fruit, causing her to close her hand around it.

The dwarf king smiled as she devoured her prize, but immediately became sober when he saw the angry red mark standout out from the dirt and grime on the pretty young face. The young child finished the apple and looked back up at him, fear now replaced by curiosity. "What is your name little one?" Thorin asked softly when she had finished. The girl looked down and shook her head, and that is when Thorin realized that she was still shaking, although not as violently.

"Are you cold?" the elfling looked up through thick lashes. Thorin, taking this as a yes, slowly put out his arm, so as not to startle her. "Do you trust me?" She looked up at the dwarf, studied him for a moment, and slowly uncurled herself. She grabbed his hand and allowed Thorin to pull her to her feet. She only reached his shoulder, even with him crouching down. He guessed the child could be no more than nine years old, albeit extremely thin for so young a child.

The young elf hesitatingly walked into the reach of Thorin's arm, and when she was mere inches from his shoulder, Thorin slowly drew her to him. The child stiffened at the contact, but when Thorin made no move to harm her, she relaxed into his warm coat. Thorin, seeing the child relax, gently held her to him as he waited for the shivering to stop. However, when he realized that it might take a while, put both arms around her, and cradling her as he would a baby, drew his thick furs about her tiny body. "So you do not have a name, aye?" Thorin said softly to the child in his arms as they started walking back towards the light. She peeked up from where she had buried her face and shook her head. "Then we shall have to find one for you."

When they reached the lighted square, Thorin searched for his nephews, anxious to return to his warm mountain. He saw them surrounded by young children, retelling the tale of their part in the Battle of Five Armies. "Fili, Kili, we are leaving. Kili, go prepare the boat; I want to go as soon as possible. Fili, go find Master Bard and thank him on my behalf for his hospitality." Thorin rumbled, still gently cradling the young elf in his arms. The two dwarves nodded, casting suspicious glances at the bulge in his arms. Thorin had made sure that the child was hidden from the view of onlookers, careful that she remained warm in his arms. She was small enough that she could fit into his elbow if she curled her legs up, which was what she was doing.

As Thorin slowly walked out of the square and made for the docks, a thought struck him. Where were this child's parents? Surely she had some, but if she did, then why was she running around, stealing food, and why did she not have a name? Thorin shook his head. The child was an elf. If she had parents, then they would most likely be in Mirkwood, not Laketown. But then if they were in Mirkwood, then why was she in Laketown, alone? Thorin decided that as soon as she was well, he would take her to Mirkwood and as Thranduil if he knew of her.

He met his two heirs at the docks and gingerly stepped into his boat, careful not to startle the child that lay in his arms. She had stopped shaking, but Thorin dared not make her leave the warm protective layering of his coat and furs, lest she start again. Only when they were halfway to the Lonely Mountain did his nephews speak.

"What is in your coat Uncle?" Kili inquired. Thorin glanced at Kili, and seeing that Fili was just as curious, slowly pulled the coat away. The two dwarves stared at the sleeping face nestled in the furs and the long brown hair, and the tiny fists clutching Thorin's blue tunic. "A child Uncle? But how?" Kili managed to get out around his shock. "A young elfling," Thorin rumbled. "The poor thing is starved to death. She was struck by a vendor that she had stolen an apple from and I fear that she is sick; she would not stop shaking for a while." Thorin smoothed back the hair covering her cheek so his nephews could see the angry red mark that had yet to fade.

"Does the she have a name?" Fili asked softly so as not to wake her. "No, she does not. I believe that she is a stray orphan, and for whatever reason the orphanage will not take her in. It could possibly be that she is and elf in a man village. When she is well, I shall take her too Thranduil to keep in Mirkwood." Thorin wrapped her in his arms again and they did not speak until they reached the shore of the Lonely Mountain, where their horses stood waiting.

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><p><strong>AN: Yayyy! Second chapter! Thank you to all my reviewers, followers, and favorites, you guys totally ROCK! I am working on getting a better cover photo for this story, but I need to find someone who is willing to draw it for me (cuz I am about as good at drawing as Gloin with a bow. Not that good.) So, if you know anybody that is willing, please please PLEASE tell me. <strong>

**Oh, and what do you think of her, hmm? Don't worry, more Kili and Fili is in the next chapter, as well as some bits of Kiliel thrown in. I really need to get Fili a nice girl...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Elona Moriah**

The ride back to the gate was long and cold and Thorin feared that his young charge would freeze before they could get her to a fire. She had started shaking again in the biting wind so Thorin completely enfolded her in his arms and rode home as fast as his horse could carry him. Fili and Kili continued to cast fearful glances at the young elleth and did not question Thorin when he ordered them to put his horse away for him. He rushed inside with the shaking child cradled in his arms.

Tauriel met him in the doors, obviously waiting for Kili. "Thorin? What is wrong?" Thorin paused when he noticed her, grateful for once that he had an elf adapt at healing that he trusted in his home. "Tauriel I need your help. Come, I will tell you on the way." Tauriel nodded and listened to Thorin's tale of finding the child as she followed him to his room.

When they entered the spacious chamber, Tauriel went to put more logs on the fire and Thorin gingerly placed the shivering elfling on the couch closest to the warm flames. "It sounds to me like she might have a fever," Tauriel said upon inspecting the child. She rested her hand against the child's forehead and winced. "Yes, definitely fever," she concluded. "The poor thing is severely malnourished. I am surprised she has survived this long, considering the state she is in. apparently it has been going on for many years."

Thorin looked up from the girl to the elleth. "What do we do?" Tauriel sighed. "Right now, we need to keep her warm. I can give her herbs if the fever is still running when she wakes up, but as for the malnutrition, all we can do is make sure she gets plenty of food at mealtimes and watch her very carefully." Thorin nodded. He could do that. And as soon as she was well, off to Mirkwood she goes. "Thank you Tauriel. I shall watch her for now and call you when she wakes. Now, I know how anxious you are to get to my nephew. Tell Kili that I am grateful to him for putting my horse up." Tauriel's eyes lit up at the mention of Thorin's youngest nephew. She started for the door, but turned back around with her hand on the handle.

"You know Thorin; you ought to give her a name when she wakes up. We can't call her Elfling the entire time she is here." Thorin smirked. "Why not? I call you that don't I?"

"Exactly," Tauriel smirked back. "It's my name. Goodnight Thorin." Thorin shook his head as he walked over to the mantle to fetch his pipe. In the hours it took for the child to wake up, Thorin tried to think of a suitable name for her. It was almost dawn when she finally opened her eyes.

"Good morning little one," Thorin rumbled when she sat up, looking around in confusion. Her head whipped around to face him, eyes wide. When she saw that it was her savior from the night before she relaxed somewhat, but still cast him suspicious glances. Thorin chuckled. "It's alright, you are perfectly safe here. How are you feeling?" Thorin hoped that she trusted him enough to finally talk to him.

The child ducked her head before talking. "Good lord Thorin," said a soft voice through the curtain of hair. Thorin sighed; it seems that she was a fairly young child after all. "It is only Thorin little one. Now, do you have a name?" the girl peeked out from under her lashes and shook her head. "Well then, we must give you one. What are you called in Laketown?" the child shrugged. "The bad men call me elf scum, or little brat, and the nice lady that gives me her old bread calls me elfling."

Thorin was slightly shocked. It was the most that he had heard her say, and he had to admit, she did have a rather cute voice. _No Thorin. You are a dwarf king. We do not need to be getting attached to an elf child._

"Well, those won't do here, don't you agree?" Thorin sat back and looked over the child. He was rather mad at the treatment of this young girl. He knew that once she was cleaned up and put on a proper dress that she no doubt would be a beautiful little elfling, and it seemed a miracle that she had survived for so long on such little food and apparently no parental figures. "What about the name Elona Moriah." The name fit her, Thorin thought. _Elona _is elvish for _beautiful_, and _Moriah _is Khuzdul for _miracle._ Beautiful Miracle. Yes, very fitting.

The child cocked her head as she ran the name over her tongue. Finally, she nodded. "Yes, I like that name." Thorin stood and walked over to the couch. Elona Moriah flinched when he knelt. "It is alright little one. I just want to see if your temperature is down." she nodded and allowed Thorin to place his wrist on her forehead, studying him all the while. "It has gone down, but barely. I believe a warm bath might do you some good, as well as some warm clothes." Thorin announced, standing up. "What do you think?"

Elona Moriah just looked at him confusedly. "Why?" Now Thorin looked confused. "What do you mean little one?" She ducked her head again as if she was ashamed. "Why are you being so nice to me?" Thorin started to wonder just how long this child had been abused be the people of Laketown. He sighed as he knelt down by the couch. "Elona Moriah, do you have and parents? A ma or a da that takes care of you?" he explained to the confused girl. "No, well, not anymore." She said, looking down. Thorin gently grabbed her chin and gently raised it to look at him. "What do you mean, not anymore?"

"My Mamma and my Da died in The Battle of Five Armies." A tear slipped down her face. "I do not remember what they called me, or their names. I have been living in Laketown since I was four." Thorin felt a pang of pity for the crying child. He put his arm on her shoulder and waited for her to look at him. "It's alright Elona Moriah. No longer will you have to be without parents." Then he frowned. "You know, Elona Moriah is rather a mouthful. What do you say if we shorten it down to just Elona?" the elfling looked up, and for the first time, smiled at Thorin.

"I would like that," Elona nodded. "Good," Thorin smiled back. "Now, there is another elf here in the castle. Would you like to come with me to find her so that she may give you that bath?" Elona nodded as Thorin took his hand off her shoulder. He helped her off the couch, but frowned when he realized that the stone floor would be freezing under her bare feet. His thoughts were confirmed when Elona gave a small yelp at touching the cold stone. Thorin decided that the best thing to do in this case was carry her, at least until he could get her a pair of boots and a proper dress. Thorin hooked his hands under her arms and hoisted her onto his hip, where she immediately grabbed a hold of his fur coat in both fists. Elona barely weighed anything, and Thorin was afraid that if he dropped her she might shatter like a glass sculpture. This worried him to no end.

They left Thorin's chambers as the sun was starting to fully rise, making orange light dance on the walls. They didn't encounter anyone on the way to Tauriel's rooms, where Thorin knew she would most likely be sharpening her arrows. Thorin knocked on the big oak door, and opened it at Tauriel's invitation to enter.

"Thorin! I was wondering when you would come by." Tauriel set down her whetstone and arrow when she caught sight of the child clutching at Thorin's coat. "Tauriel, I would like for you to meet Elona Moriah," Thorin rumbled. "Elona, this is Tauriel. She will be helping you while you stay here." Elona studied Tauriel with wide-eye suspicion, wary of the elf towering over her.

"Beautiful Miracle, I like it." Elona whirled around at the voice in the corner. Thorin hadn't noticed his dark nephew leaning against Tauriel's dresser. Elona shrunk as far as she could into Thorin's embrace when she saw the scarred dwarf studying her. "Kili, you're scaring the poor thing," Tauriel scolded him.

"Tauriel, Elona needs to have a warm bath before breakfast, and a proper dress. Could you please take care of that for me?" Tauriel smiled softly at Elona. "Thorin, did you even have to ask?" Thorin smiled back at the elf he considered a daughter. "Thank you. Elona, go with Tauriel now; she will take good care of you." Elona frantically looked back and forth from Thorin to Tauriel. When her gaze once again landed on Kili, she burrowed into Thorin's arms and hid her neck in his neck. "Must you leave me here?" she murmured to him. Thorin was taken aback. He hadn't counted on the child being so scared of one of her own race. However, being scared of Kili he could understand. He had practically raised the two nightmares.

"Elona, it will only be for a few moments. I promise that Tauriel will not let any harm come your way. I will only be a few halls down when you are finished. Now, be a brave little elf and go take your bath." Elona slowly nodded into Thorin's neck, and he set her down on the bed in the center of the room. He turned to leave, but was stopped by a small, soft hand grabbing his large scarred one. "Promise?" came a tearful, shaking voice behind him. Thorin turned around to look at Elona. Looking into her eyes, he realized that taking her to Thranduil would be a lot harder than he had imagined.

"I promise little one." He gave the small hand a reassuring squeeze before letting it slip out of his. "I promise I won't leave you alone." Thorin smiled once at the elfling, and with a nod to Tauriel, left the room with Kili on his heels.

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><p><strong>AN: YAYY! ELONA-THORIN BONDING! I am absolutely in LOVE with this elfling. I have great plans for you little one...<strong>

**Any who, I just want to clear this up, Elona Moriah does NOT mean beautiful miracle in either elvish or Khuzdul. I just really like the name and it fits her (future) role. **

**I also want to point out that I realize all the mistakes and errors I have made in my grammar, but I really don't have time to go through and fix it. I think that I will finish the story, and this summer I will go through and fix the mistakes. So yeah. I hope you're still enjoying it! I found someone to do the cover photo by the way, and a huge thank you to those who offered :-) I love you guys. **


	4. AN

**Okay, I am REALLY sorry that this is just a author's note, but I really think that I need to clear a few things up. **

**1) Elona's physical and mental age, and other weird elfish things. **

** Elona looks like a nine year old girl physically, so as an elf, she would be about fourteen to sixteen years old. However she is actually about eleven or twelve years old mentally because she has had no parental guidance since her parents died and she had no piers to copy. The people of Laketown were no help either. **

** One of my reviewers also pointed out that elves don't get sick, or have fevers. Well, Elona has been living off of almost nothing for over five years, and is so malnourished that I'm not actually sure if it's even physically possible for her to be alive. Therefore, her body is doing all those weird medical things that happen when your starved and she got a fever. End of story. (I'm not a doctor. Can you tell?)**

**2) Thorin's OOCness**

** Yes, I have realized that he is a little soft around Elona. I can explain this. In my head canon, Thorin does have a really good heart under the gold lust and stubborn disposition. He was just too burdened with the fall of Erebor, the death of his grandfather and brother, looking for his father, the Battle of Azanulbizar, and raising the little devils named Fili and Kili to let it show. And I don't think I even have to mention the quest and dragon sickness. So now since he had reclaimed his mountain, avenged his brother and grandfather, and Fili and Kili are (mostly) grown up, he can relax a little bit. But don't worry, the cold, gruff Thorin will still make the occasional appearance.**

**And someone pointed out that Thorin hates elves so why would he be nice to Elona? Again in my head canon, he gave the elves their treasure after they gave back the Arkenstone, and while they still aren't best buds, they aren't trying to kill each other either. And also Tauriel showed him that not all elves are stupid, heartless idiots (as much as I want to insert a certain word there, I refuse to swear, so please don't in your reviews). And with the whole Kili/Tauriel relationship, I believe I explained his thoughts on that in chapter one. **

**3) Grammar mistakes and minor detail problems. **

** I WILL fix these! I just don't have a ton of time right now. If you could just over look them for now, I will be eternally grateful :-) **

**So after this note, posts and updates will be very slow coming. I have posted all my pre-written chapters, and I had to completely erase what I had for chapter six. It was absolutely horrible. I am going to apologize in advance now, but if you guys have any questions when you read this, please PM me or leave a review at any time. I try to answer all questions I get. **

**I am in the eternal debt of Borys68 and ladymoonscar for pointing out some of the major mistakes I made and I will try my hardest to correct them. Thank you to all you have reviewed, favorited, and are following. I love you to death :-)**

**So now that I have taken care of that, I have a question. Should I include Gandalf in this story, and if I do, should he recognize Elona? I already have the climax and end of the story planned out, but I need a few filler chapters for Elona/Thorin bonding, because the end will make absolutely no sense if they didn't have that Daddy's Little Girl relationship. **


	5. AN 2

So I was looking over the story, and I realized that I had actually missed at chapter! I had five chapters on Word, and four here! SO I just wanted to warn you guys that I am going to be deleting a few chapters to add a new one, but don't panic, I will be putting up a new one.


	6. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Meeting the Company**

When Thorin next saw Elona, he thought for sure that Tauriel had dumped her back on the streets and had kidnapped an elven princess to present to him instead. But when he saw her scared eyes frantically searching for him; he knew that it was his elfling. _Wait, my elfling? No, I am just taking care of her until she is well enough to go to Mirkwood. _Thorin had invited his entire company to come celebrate Durin's Day and the anniversary of the fall of Smaug with him, and was laughing with them about their adventures when Elona had come charging towards him out of nowhere.

Tauriel had worked miracles on Elona. She was wearing a beautiful blue dress then had short, frilly sleeves, and a dark leather corset. The corset wasn't tight to the point of being uncomfortable to the child, but just tied up enough to make her look sophisticated. The skirt flared out and ended right above her knees, and flowed around her legs when she walked. Her lush brown hair had been brushed out and now fell in soft curls to the small of her back. A few fishtail braids encircled her head and ended in a small bun to keep her bangs out of her face. Tauriel had been sure to cover Elona's pointed ears with her hair so as not to arouse unnecessary questions, something Thorin was very grateful for.

Elona hesitantly walked into the room behind Tauriel, unsure what to do without the presence of Thorin beside her. Even though she had only known him for a few hours, she knew that she could depend on the dwarf to keep her safe. Elona was starting to think that this is what have a Da would feel like. As soon as she saw Thorin sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the room, she bolted out of Tauriel's grasp and made straight for him, either not noticing or not caring about the curious eyes that followed her.

The shocked silence of the company would have been almost comical when they saw Elona, if it wasn't for the terrified eyes of the young elfling when she noticed all of the dwarves towering over her. She stopped short a few feet away from Thorin, right in front of none other than Dwalin, who had, for some odd reason of his that we shall never know, seen it fit to bring his war hammer and sword talk to his old friend. She stared up at him with wide, fearful eyes, shocked (or scared, Thorin couldn't tell) into silence by the sight of the burly, tattooed dwarf.

Thorin, sensing Elona's distress, softly called to her. "Elona, would you like to come sit with us?" Elona slowly nodded and started inching away from the terrifying gaze of the dwarf towering over her, never taking her eyes off him until she felt Thorin's familiar hand on her shoulder. He hoisted her up to sit in his lap.

"Lads, I would like for you to meet Elona Moriah. She is in my care until I see it fit for her to go live in Mirkwood with Lord Thranduil." Thorin looked over the group. They greeted the child with smiles and warm welcomes, and Thorin could tell that by the end of the night, she would be as fearless of them as she was of him. "Elona, this is the company that took back Erebor from Smaug. There is Kili and Fili, who you already know, Ori, Dori, Nori, Dwalin, Balin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Oin, Gloin, and Bilbo…wait, where is Bilbo?" the group looked around anxiously, how had they not noticed the absence of their burglar?

"You did ask him to come Thorin, did you not?" Balin asked. "Of course I did!" Thorin replied indignantly. "He probably became held up in Rivendell or something of the sort," supplied Bofur, ever the cheerful one. "You know how chatty he and Elrond have become with each other."

"Or he got attacked," shrugged Kili, noticing his uncle's and his elf's glare. "What? It's possible." Fili cuffed his brother around his ear. Kili sent him a glare and retaliated by whacking him on the shoulder. Tauriel decided that this might be a good time to intervene, before it became a full-out brawl. He is captain of the guards, but still as mature as a twenty year old dwarfling.

"I would prefer that we don't dwell on that possibility Kili, and you two let go of each other before I have to make you." Tauriel frowned up at Kili from where she had seated herself on the ground next to him. Kili let Fili out of the headlock he had him in and Fili let go of his fistful of Kili's hair. "Sorry love," Kili smiled cheekily, bending down to place a kiss on her brow. Tauriel sighed and rested her head on his knee. "Adad did send armed guards to accompany Bilbo, he should be fine." Tauriel referred to the dwarf she thought of as a father.

Elona gave a small grin at the bickering brothers before looking out at the rest of the company. Most were smiling at her, with the exception of the big one with the tattoos and the one with an axe in his head; Dwalin and Bifur Thorin had called them. They were gazing at her with curiosity, but not unkindly. She immediately felt at home among these men, and knew that they would care for her just as Thorin was.

Thorin, however, was getting worried about the missing part of the company. He was pretty sure that everyone else had felt his absence but like him, had not been able to place the odd feeling. With a frown, he set down Elona, despite her protests, to go talk to the guard standing nearby.

He was going to send out an envoy to search for the hobbit when he felt a set of eyes watching him. Thorin looked at the company, they were all whispering among themselves about Bilbo or smoking their pipes, but not one was looking at him. He nudged the guard and turned towards the wall. "Who goes there?" he questioned in his most commanding voice. He grabbed an axe off the guard when no one answered. "I said, who are you?" Thorin all but snarled out the last part.

"My my, Thorin, is this how you have taken to greeting your guests? I must say, a little hostile, is it not?" a familiar chuckle greeted him. "And is it such a crime for a hobbit to be a few hours late for once in his life, you foolish dwarves? I am not as young as I used to be you know." Thorin lowered his axe at the voice and righted his stance. "When it's our hobbit in question, then yes, it is a most serious crime." He replied in a gruff voice, but anyone could see the way his eyes twinkled in mirth. "You gave us a right fright Master Burglar,"

Bilbo chucked as he stepped away from the shadowed wall. "I saw. I was only trying to see how observant you lot still were. It appears I have my answer." He smirked. "Still the same." Thorin rolled his eyes and smiled. "Welcome home, Master Baggins," he greeted softly.

When Thorin had set down Elona to go talk to the guard, the poor child had no idea what to do. She was surrounded by dwarves that she barely knew, and Thorin looked like he didn't want to be bothered. She looked around for someone she knew would welcome her, and caught his eye across the room.

Kili smiled when the young elf ran towards him and Fili, who were sitting on a couch on the far side of the room. He opened his arms as she approached and set her on his lap. Tauriel looked up from where she had been dozing off on his knee and smiled at Elona before resting her head again. Fili gave her a welcoming smile and ran a hand through her chocolaty hair, a sign of brotherly affection and welcome among dwarves. She slipped off Kili's lap to lie in the gap between him and his brother, her head in Kili's lap and her feet in Fili's. The brothers smiled at each other, Thorin wasn't going to make this elf leave soon, and until then, they vowed to teach Elona all their secrets; how to fight, pull pranks without anyone knowing it was you, riding a horse, and above all, how to give their darling uncle more silver hair.

Thorin turned around from greeting Bilbo to see his area of the armchair empty. He had a flash of panic rage through his mind as he scoured the large, comfortably dim room, and didn't find the sapphire eyed child. He was about to raise the alarm when he rested his gaze on a mop of chocolate hair in Kili's lap next to the red-haired elf and a pair of child's boots in Fili's. He chuckled when he saw the trio, he knew that nothing good could come of this friendship but sat down to talk to his company all the same.

Elona started when she felt a hand on her head, but relaxed when she realized that it was only Kili. She turned her head to face him. "Kili?" Kili looked down at her. "Hmm?" he answered through his pipe. "How did you get your scar?" Kili's hand subconsciously left Elona's head to trace the raised line snaking down his face.

"It was in the Battle of Five Armies. Fili had been trapped under some rocks and I became distracted trying to get them off of him. An orc came out of nowhere and started slashing at me. It got in a few lucky swipes but he was dead before you could say, 'Stupid orc filth!'" Elona giggled as Kili twisted his face dramatically.

"Is that why you limp Fili? Because of the rocks?" Elona turned to the blond dwarf who was staring in the fire, blowing smoke rings with his pipe. "Aye little one, it is. Smashed my left foot, it never healed right." She turned back to Kili, reaching her little hand up and tracing the line on his face. "Does it ever hurt?" Kili smiled at her innocent curiosity. "No little miracle, it doesn't."

"I have one," she whispered. "On the back of my head. It hurts when I'm cold." Kili frowned and glanced at Tauriel who had been watching the exchange with a smile. She frowned back at him. "How did you get a scar from a orc on your head?" Fili sounded close to going ballistic, ready to hunt down and kill the orc that dared touch their little elf. Unlike their uncle, the two brothers had no qualms about claiming Elona as _their _elf, and they had. They already thought of her as a little sister, and she of them as the big brothers she never knew.

"It's not from an orc Fee," Elona whispered, the nickname just rolling off her tongue without her thinking about it. "The apple-cart man was mad at me because I made him drop a basket full of apples. He slashed at me with his cutting knife. It's no big deal." She shrugged. That wasn't the only scar the man gave her, but considering the brother's expressions, she wasn't about to tell them that.

"What do you mean no big deal Elona? Of course it's a big deal. He could have killed you!" Kili could barely keep his voice down to the hushed tone they were talking in, and Tauriel noticed. She reached up and grabbed the hand playing with her hair, bringing it instead to rest on her cheek, where she leaned into its warmth. She could feel him shaking and she smiled; one of his character traits that drew her to Kili was his fierce loyalty. He would do anything for those he loved, and became outraged if they were intentionally harmed by others.

Elona didn't say anything, but instead shook her head. Fili and Kili sighed and had a silent conversation over Elona's head. Tauriel couldn't tell what was being discussed, but she did know that Thorin was going to have two very mad heirs in his chambers tonight.

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><p><strong>AN: So, as I said earlier in my AN, this is the <strong>**_real _****chapter four. I accidentally skipped it when I was posting the story. So the chapter four that you guys had read was actually chapter five. I'm really sorry about this. **

**I'm almost done with chapter six. It has some more Thorin/Elona fluff as well as a new character coming into play. All I can say is, Elona's life around Erebor is about to get a tad bit different ;-)**


	7. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Healing Scars and Food Fights**

Thorin watched as Elona slipped out from between the two brothers. She made her way over to him, wary of the other dwarves. She clambered into his lap and he subconsciously wrapped his arms around her in a tight and protective but comforting embrace. She nestled into his furs like the first night he met her, and he wondered at how quick she was to trust him.

Bilbo looked over from where he was sitting next to Ori. "Thorin, who's the young lass you got there?" Thorin glanced up from his pipe. "Bilbo, this is Elona Moriah. She is an orphaned elleth I found in Laketown and will be staying in Erebor with me until I see it fit for her to go to Mirkwood." Bilbo smiled at her. "Beautiful miracle, wonderful name Thorin. How long has she been here?" Thorin looked thoughtfully at her. "I believe that it has been it has been no more than two days that I have known her, but I it feels much more than that." This revelation shocked Thorin. Has it only been two days since finding Elona in Laketown? Already he couldn't imagine what the Lonely Mountain would be like without her quiet joy and curiosity.

"You would send her to Mirkwood, to live with King Thranduil?" Bilbo looked confused. "I knew you were on better terms with him, but don't you think she would be better off in the hands of someone such as Lord Elrond or even Legolas?" Thorin looked over at the hobbit with an unreadable expression. "I have considered Lord Elrond, but I prefer Elona lived closer to Erebor so that I might be able to come help her if the need arise. And I want her to be treated as the princess she is, and growing up under Thranduil's protection will ensure that. Why Legolas though? Isn't he Thranduil's son?"

"Yes, Legolas is Thranduil's son, but he is nothing like his father. He is more kind-hearted, and not as quick to judge someone. He would make sure Elona grew up cared for and loved, but as a beautiful and skilled warrior, and not the spoiled, clingy princess Thranduil would no doubt turn her into." Bilbo never had truly forgiven Thranduil for the way he treated them on their journey, but he had grown quite fond of Legolas. He knew that when he had taken the company to Thranduil when he had found them in Mirkwood, it had only been under order, and he had been the one to give the dwarves back their weapons after the Battle of the Five Armies.

Thorin stared thoughtfully at the child in his arms. Elona was watching Bofur and Bifur as they carved at blocks of wood in their hands while talking in Khuzdul, the only language Bifur was capable of speaking due to the axe stuck in his head. He realized Bilbo was right; Thranduil would make sure she had a wonderful childhood, giving her anything she wanted, but would also spoil her rotten in the process.

"But Thorin, I'm not hungry." Elona protested. Thorin sighed. "Elona, it is noon time now, and at noon, we eat lunch." Elona glared at the mashed potatoes on her plate. "Please Thorin, can't I wait until dinner?" she turned her puppy eyes to him. "Elona, you do not want to eat because your stomach is used to living on the most minimal amount possible. Trust me, if you eat a few bites every day, you will get better." Now it was Elona's turn to sigh. "Alright Thorin." She picked up her spoon and shakily took a few bites.

Fili and Kili watched this exchange from the other end of the table. Apparently was Elona not only sick and had scars from being abused by the people of Laketown, but she had an eating disorder as well! And the worst part, she was only nine years old. They watched as she and Thorin argued until she finally gave in and took a few more bites of her potatoes.

"Hey Fee, do you see that?" Kili nudged his older brother. "See what Kee?" Fili whispered back. "How patient Uncle is with her. He was never that patient with us!" Fili smirked. "Well, I don't know about you, but he was pretty calm with me." Kili sent his brother an incredulous glance. "It must be because I was the cuter and more level headed one," Fili continued, deliberately ignoring Kili's growing glare. "But I do believe when you came along is when he started growing silver hair and became the grouch we know today." Dwalin, who was sitting across from the brothers and was silently listening in on their conversation, snorted quietly into his turkey leg.

"Got something to say, Mister Dwalin?" Kili snarled across the table which made his uncle look up from where he was trying to get a stubborn Elona to eat her carrots. Thorin raised his eyebrows at the three dwarves. Kili was glowering at Dwalin and Fili while the latter two were trying to hide their smirks behind tankards of ale. _Nothing good can come of that, _Thorin thought.

And Thorin was correct, as he usually is when predicting his nephew's moods and actions. By the end of lunch, Dwalin had come out of it mostly unscathed, but Tauriel had to take it upon herself to dig the potatoes and gravy out of Kili's hair because Kili was too busy glaring daggers at his brother to do it himself. Fili's braided mane was dripping with syrup and he had tomatoes and carrots smothered on his bear fur vest and tunic. Bifur and Bofur had to hold back the furious blond dwarf from charging his brother and the elf helping him (Tauriel had donated the tomatoes from her salad to add to Kili's ammunition stock).

"Twenty silver pieces that they start talking again within three hours," Bilbo leaned over to Thorin. "Since when have you taken up gambling habits, Mr. Baggins?" Bilbo smirked. "Ever since I started conversing with the company of Thorin Oakenshield. Twenty silver pieces take it or leave it?" Thorin sighed and nodded at the hobbit. "Take it. I believe that it might take them a little longer than a few hours to get over this one." Bilbo looked at Thorin inquisitively, but nodded and went back to his food with a smile.

Elona meanwhile was giggling at the brother's food-fight, and then started full-out laughing when Fili broke out of the grasp of Bifur and Bofur and tackled his brother. She was able to slip away without Thorin noticing when they started rolling on the floor and snagged two pies from beside Bombur's plate with a snicker. She tip-toed over to Fili and Kili and when they were both facing her, she threw the pies as hard as her little arms could.

The resounding _SPLAT! _echoed all through the room, followed by her tinkling voice. Every eye turned to where the young elleth was rolling on the ground clutching her stomach in laughter. The two sons of Dis were looking at Elona with flabbergasted expressions, chocolate pie rolling down their faces. Shocked silence followed, broken only by Bombur's exclamation. "My pies!"

Bofur was the first to let out his bellowing laugh, followed by Ori giggling, and Nori joining in at Bombur's expense. Soon the whole table was laughing, including Dwalin and Bifur. Thorin was smirking, surprised by Elona's bold move, but also proud of her for stepping out and showing them part of her true personality.

Fili and Kili looked at each other, both still too shocked to get off the floor. "I guess this means she wins, huh?" Kili said breathlessly. Fili nodded. "Aye, she got the last shot." Then he smirked. "I think that she will make a better apprentice than we originally thought brother," Kili nodded. "I believe so. I have an idea of what we should start teaching her first." He added with an evil smirk.

Thorin saw the look on his nephew's faces and frowned. That smirk could only mean one thing: they have an evil plan on how to give him grey hair, and they are pretty sure that it will succeed. When they started muttering to each other and turned their gazes to Elona, he had a pretty good idea of what their plan consisted of.

The company continued with their lunch with much laughter and jabs at the two heirs of Durin, until one of Thorin's guards barged through the doors. "King Thorin!" the elderly dwarf shouted. "There has been a disturbance in Dale between a dwarrow-dam from Ered Luin and a dwarf from the Iron Hills, and Lord Bard requests either you or a representative from the King Under the Mountain as soon as possible." Thorin groaned and rubbed his face tiredly. Elona looked up at him. "Thorin, do you have to go?" she asked timidly. Thorin glanced at the frantic guard and looked down into the azure eyes of his elfling._ No, the elfling I am giving shelter to before I send her to live with her own kind. _

"Yes Elona, I am afraid I must. Balin, you're in charge. Fili, Kili, Tauriel, watch Elona. _ Please _don't teach her anything to…dangerous." He finished with lack of a better word. He set the protesting elleth down and sent a meaningful glance towards his nephews before sweeping out the doors with all the regal authority of a dwarven king.

"Alrighty then everyone," Balin said in his cheerful voice. "Let's finish up lunch and then go on to your tasks. I want everything done perfectly so Thorin does not have anything to worry about when he gets back. Durin knows to trip to Dale is a long one."

"We're done," Fili announced. "Come on Elona; we'll show you around the barracks." The two brothers stood up and Tauriel grabbed Elona's hand. "Fee, what are bar…barras…" "Barracks?" Fili looked over at his shoulder to the two elves. Elona nodded. "Barracks are where Thorin's army trains and stores their weapons. Kili, Tauriel, and I are in charge of them." Elona's eyes grew big as they usually did when she was collecting new knowledge. "Really? Wait, are you in charge of the army, or the bar…burrocks?" she tried her best to pronunciate the new word correctly but failing miserably. Fili and Kili smirked and answered in unison, "Both."

"You two creep me out when you do that," Tauriel said from her place beside Elona. Kili dropped back to grab her free hand and smile cheekily up at her. "Yeah, but you still love us." He smirked. Tauriel frowned. "Well…maybe," now it was Kili's turn to frown. "Maybe? What? How is it even physically possible _not_ to love us?" Tauriel smiled lovingly and kissed his temple, the highest place on his head that she could reach. "It's not, for you anyway Kili. But Fili, well he has another thing coming." Fili turned around and started walking backward so he could see the three behind him. "Come on now Tauriel, I think you're just playing favorites with the dwarf that is courting you." Tauriel slowly raised a delicate eyebrow.

"You two creep me out when you do that," Tauriel said from her place beside Elona. Kili dropped back to grab her free hand and smile cheekily up at her. "Yeah, but you still love us." He smirked. Tauriel frowned. "Well…maybe," now it was Kili's turn to frown. "Maybe? What? How is it even physically possible not to love us?"

Tauriel smiled lovingly and kissed his temple, the highest place on his head that she could reach. "It's not, for you anyway Kili. But Fili, well he has another thing coming."

Fili turned around and started walking backward so he could see the three behind him. "Come on now Tauriel, I think you're just playing favorites with the dwarf that is courting you."

Tauriel slowly raised a delicate eyebrow. "Oh? Is that really what you think?" Kili looked from Tauriel's blank face to Fili's.

"Fee, I would say you have about ten seconds to run." Fili paled and swiftly grabbed Elona's hand.

"Come on, Elona. Let's go find the horses or something." He took off quickly with a befuddled Elona trailing behind him.

When he was out of earshot, Tauriel turned to Kili. "You just wanted me alone, didn't you?" Kili gave her a cheesy smirk. "Oh, you know I did."

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><p><strong>AN: Bilbo's here! And with a totally epic entrance no less! Well, I guess he got here in the last chapter, but whatever. I'm tired and a little on the slow side today. Don't judge.<strong>

**As one of my lovely reviewers pointed out (you know who you are and I love you to death for this) I have Elona's age/appearance a little out of canon. When I said she looked to be around nine in "man years," I literally meant she looked like a nine year old human child. So I guess that means she would be about fourteen-sixteen years old mentally. (Correct me if I'm wrong Borys.) **

**Can anyone guess who the dwarrodam is? Bonus points if you do :-P**


	8. Chapter 6

**Chapter six: Dangerous Sisters and Black Mares**

Thorin frowned as his horse thundered towards the gates of Dale.** (AN: Yes, the King Under the Mountain rides a horse, not a pony. I don't care if it's canon or not. And no, he's not going to tell you if he needs a stool to get on it or not, so shut up Kili. You too Fili.) **A dwarrow-dam from Ered Luin? He thought they had already moved everybody that wanted to leave. Thorin shook his head and urged his horse to go faster. He would worry about that when he got there.

Instead, his thoughts turned to Elona. Sweet, innocent Elona. He could already tell that his company was falling for the child, hard and fast. And, truth be told, he was as well. It was hard to not love her shining smile, thirst for knowledge, and the mischievous streak they had discovered this morning. He would have to make sure to go visit her when she left for Mirkwood. _When _being the keyword. Thorin already doubted his ability to relinquish his little elfling to the prince of the woodland realm.

He shook his head again. It's hopeless to deny it, he thought to himself. She had somehow unconsciously squirmed her way into his heart in the few days that Thorin had known her. She was now _his _elfling, and he would give the arkenstone itself to keep her in Erebor as his daughter and princess. But why would she want to live surrounded by rock, with a gruff, grumpy, temperamental dwarf raising her? She would be much happier in the trees of Mirkwood, living the in realm of Thranduil and dancing in the sunlight. Even though Thorin thought of his rocky domain as warm and comforting, being surrounded by the thick, safe walls of Erebor, he knew that elves and humans alike thought it cold and foreboding, much like it's king.

Thorin thundered through the gates of Dale, slowing his steed's gait as he approached the center of the courtyard where Bard was standing, looking thoroughly displeased. Held back by guards next to him stood a stocky, red-haired dwarf wearing the colors of the Iron Hills. Behind him, not chained but still surrounded by guards, stood a tall dwarrow dam wearing a black traveling cloak. Her head was down and the hood was covering her face, but Thorin would know that figure and stance anywhere.

"What is the meaning of this," Thorin growled as swung gracefully from his horse, and turned to face Bard with his arms crossed. Bard glared at the king. "These two dwarves were causing a disturbance at my gates, disrupting the trader's and guard's schedules for no good reason."

"There was too a reason!" the red haired dwarf spat. "This mere peasant thought she could insult my king, Lord Dain of the Iron Hills, by calling herself his cousin! And then when I denied it, she thought she could insult you, Lord Thorin, by saying she was your sister! As if!"

Thorin sighed. He still could not see the hooded face of the dwarrow dam, but he knew she would be smirking. "Is that why you decided to come back early, to make my life hell…again?" he barked at her. She peeked out from under her hood and he caught a glimpse of stormy blue eyes so much like his own.

"Oh, no my king," she curtsied low. "I merely came to see my boys and make sure that our mountain had not burned down under your rule."

Thorin spluttered. "Burned under my rule?" he almost shouted incredulously. Bard and the other dwarf were looking at them with confusion. "It is not my rule you should be worried about. It is my eldest heir's rule that you should be concerned over."

Bard decided that now would be a good time to cut in. "Lord Thorin, do you know this lady?" Thorin nodded with a scowl. "Indeed I do; a little too well I believe. Lord Bard, I would like to introduce you to the Lady Dis of the Lonely Mountain."

The red head dwarf immediately turned pale and tired to shrink away from the group. "A pleasure, my lady," Bard smiled. "I apologize for the treatment you have received in my city." Dis smiled back at him.

"No harm done Master Bard. All's well that ends well." She turned to her brother. "Can we please leave now? I am quite anxious to sleep in my own bed after my travels." Thorin nodded and signaled for one of his guards to bring Dis a pony. Being a head shorter than Thorin, it would be near impossible for her to mount a horse like him.

They started back, letting Bard deal with the red-haired dwarf. "Well sister, this journey seemed to take much longer than your previous treks. What held you up?" Dis glanced at her older brother with a mischievous smirk that her sons had inherited. "Did it now? I didn't notice. I must have been having too much fun frolicking on the edges of Moria. Are you sure you didn't just miss me more than usual?" she quipped.

"Quite sure," Thorin shook his head, but then he processed what she had said and his eyes grew as big as Bilbo's saucers. "Wait, what? Frolicking on the edges of Moria?!" he nearly fell off his pony at her words. Dis let out a chiming laugh, and Thorin let out a sigh of relief that she had only been jesting.

"Oh brother mine, you should have seen your face! I don't believe I have seen you look that panicked since the time Frerin and I decided it would be a good idea to swing upside down from the chandelier in the dining hall! Oh, what a wonderful day that was," Dis smiled at Thorin, who now had the infamous Durin glare plastered on his face.

"Very wonderful indeed," he snarled sarcastically. He remembered that day quite well. He had been a few weeks short of seventeen, which means that Frerin was barely thirteen and Dis was a mere child of ten years. He had spent the first half of the day arguing with his gold-stricken father and grandfather, then threw a few sharp objects at his father, and helped young Dis and Frerin get down from a chandelier they had gotten stuck in. What a day indeed.

"I still have trouble believing Fre let you do that." Thorin frowned over at her. "And that you told me 'But Thorin, it isn't even that dangerous!'" Dis smiled sheepishly. "Hey! I was ten!"

"Hay is for horses Dis, not kings." Dis frowned and stuck her tongue out at her brother. Thorin smirked at the childish gesture. "I see where the boys get their maturity from." Dis rolled her eyes.

"Yes, well, seeing as you did raise them…" she trailed off with a small smile, but her eyes clouded as she thought of her dead husband. He died when Fili was no more than six years old, leaving Dis with an infant and a grieving child. Thorin was forced to step up as the boy's father, which wasn't hard seeing as they already considered him one. Thorin had been furious at his brother-in-law, leaving his sister and nephews alone like that, but after a while he came to terms with it, and now knew that it wasn't his fault. It was that stupid orc pack…

Dis had dealt with the death by traveling, leaving for months at a time, and never telling anyone where she went. This had been one of her longer excursions, leaving about two years ago, and only had sent letters occasionally.

"So how are the boys?" Dis asked after a moment of silence. Thorin sighed heavily. "Well, considering they haven't burned down Dale yet, they are fine. Kili's beard is still next to nonexistent, but his scar makes up for it. Fili's limp has gotten slightly better, but his still needs a cane from time to time. Kili is still courting Tauriel, and Fili still refuses to find a nice maiden." Dis nodded and hummed in thought.

"What about you brother, has a maiden caught your eye yet?" Thorin raised a heavy eyebrow at her, wondering if now would be a good time to bring up Elona or if he should let her find out on her own. Before he could answer, however, a flash of black and blue came charging towards him, Fili running behind it waving his arms.

"Elona! Stop!" Fili was calling. Thorin realized too late that it was none other than Elona charging at him, but she was on top of a pitch black mare. Thorin reached out as they approached them and grabbed the reins of the horse.

"Elona Moriah! What in the name of all things sacred to you think you are doing?" Elona slid off the horse with all the grace of an elf and smiled up at him with a huge grin. "I was riding a horse Thorin. It's fun! Can I do it again?" Thorin growled and glared at Fili.

"What part of keep her safe do you not understand? And where is Kili?" Fili was bent at the waist resting his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. "Kili…Tauriel…mad..." that was all Thorin needed and tried to hide his grin. "I see." Then he turned to the smiling elfling. "Elona, I have no problem with you riding a horse, but I never want to see you going that fast again. Do you understand me?" Elona ducked her head and nodded.

"Thorin? What is this?" Fili froze when he heard Dis. He looked up to see her dismounting from a pony behind Thorin's gelding. "Ma! Your home!" he launched himself at Dis like a five year old over-hyped on sugar.

"Hello Fili," Dis smiled at her son softly. "Yes, I am home, and hope to be so for quite some time." Thorin looked down when he felt a pressure on his legs. Elona was cowering against him and was trying to disappear into his coat. He gently rested his scarred hand on her soft curls in a comforting gesture and cleared his throat for Dis's attention.

"Sister, this is Elona Moriah. She is a young elleth that is residing in Erebor until I deem her well enough to travel to Mirkwood with Prince Legolas." Dis carefully scrutinized the small elf. Unlike her brother, she still held a severe grudge against elves. She had been very attached to her older brother Frerin, and somehow believed that the elves "betrayal" had ultimately led to his death. Personally, Thorin believed that she was either in denial or she was still mourning and needed someone to blame.

"An elf Thorin? You dare house an _elf _in halls of our fathers? In the only home Fre knew?" Dis's eyes had hardened from the soft blue sapphires Thorin knew. She was now openly glaring at the poor child clutching his legs, and Elona was struggling to keep herself form trembling.

"Yes Dis, I am housing an elfling in the Lonely Mountain. She is under my protection, and I will not let her leave until I am confident that she is healthy and strong enough to take care of herself."

"Your protection?" Dis screeched, making Elona whimper and bury her face in Thorin's coat. "You have an elf _under your protection?_ And I had thought you were as insane as a dwarf could get when you were under the dragon sickness!"

Thorin winced sharply, the horrid memories of when his mind had been taken over by gold lust starting to surface. The constant debates between his consciousness and his heart, the realization of how stupidly he had acted, and how his stubbornness had almost cost his beloved nephews…_sons_….their lives.

"Do not," Thorin almost snarled in a deathly quiet voice. "Do not…bring up…the dragon sickness." His hand had tightened on Elona's shoulder, and he loosened his grip for fear of hurting her.

Fili glanced to his uncle when his mother mentioned the gold sickness; worry at his reaction etched plainly in his face. He saw the emotions flash through Thorin's eyes. Fili remembered how broken his uncle had been when Kili would not wake up from his head wound after the battle. Thorin had believed that he had led his young nephew to his death, and was slowly wasting away himself at the pain of that knowledge. Fili had come away from that horrid time scarred. Not from the battle, but from watching the only father he ever knew slowly dying. He had been scared of losing his brother; no he had been horrified of the thought of living without his other half. But being forced to watch Thorin, strong, powerful Thorin Oakenshield, slowly leave him _along _with his brother, that…that was what haunted Fili's nightmares.

Thorin's face hardened into the mask he wore when he was exceptionally angry. "Do not bring up that time Dis. I am ashamed at my actions, and wish I could take back every one."

"But still you allow a scrawny elf live in our mountain!" Dis's face was starting to turn red, not a good sign.

"Dis, last time I checked, _I _was King Under the Mountain, not you. My word goes, and I say that Elona is now in my care and she will leave when I say she can." Thorin glowered at his sister. Fili was slowly trying to back away unnoticed. The last time his uncle and mother had argued about this was when Thorin wanted to start Kili in training with a sword. Dis was still mourning her husband, and half the time wasn't really thinking straight. She had implored Thorin to "let her baby keep his innocence a few years longer, not to take away the last thing she had of her husband."

Dis's fists were clenched and she was breathing heavily. Her glower matched Thorin's in ferocity, but Thorin had the advantage of height. "Thorin Oakenshield, if you value your brother's memory, you will put that…that _thing," _she spit the word like a curse. "Back where you found it." Thorin scoffed at her.

"Apparently Dis, I value his memory more than you do. If Frerin found a starving, abused orphan living in the streets, he would be the first one to approach it." Thorin was a thread away from shouting at his sister in rage. How dare she suggest that he make Elona leave? How dare she? He was king!

"Frerin never would have given it a second glance if it was an elf!" Dis screamed. Elona was silently sobbing now; clutching Thorin's leg like it was a lifeline. She doubted that he would send her away, but she was scared of what the bearded woman in front of her would do.

"Dis, listen, and listen well." Thorin was outright snarling. "Elona Moriah is as good as a daughter to me. This is my final word on the matter. She will stay in the Lonely Mountain, and if you so much as attempt to harm her or make her leave, you will be banished from Erebor, and stripped of your standing as Princess, under order of the king." Thorin turned around to his horse and started helping Elona mount it.

Dis's face was now a vibrant pink. "You have no right!" she snarled at his back.

Thorin whipped around, braids flying and eyes blazing like a fiery blue furnace. "I HAVE EVERY RIGHT!" he roared at her. He turned back and mounted his horse behind Elona. "I stand by my word Dis. One finger and you will no longer be welcomed in Erebor." He turned to his nephew. "Fili, come."

Fili hesitated, looking from his seething mother to his flaming uncle. "I…I…"

"Fili, now. Or are you also against abandoning children to die like a cold hearted criminal?" he sneered. "The choice is yours."

Fili watched his uncle's retreating back. "Yes uncle," he murmured and ducked his head. He grabbed the reins of the black mare Elona had been riding and swung himself up.

"Fili? Where do you think you are going?" Dis asked her son.

"I agree with Uncle, Mother. Elona is as a sister to me, and I will not see her hurt. I'm sorry." He turned his horse's head and took off after Thorin.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: HA! And I bet you were anticipating a sweet and motherly Dis. I'm feeling like a rebel today. Congrats to those of you who guessed Dis! And just so you know, my one-shot Forever and Always Namadith is actually about the day Dis mentioned, when Thorin threw a few sharp objects at his father and Dis and Frering got stuck in a chandelier. Go read it!<strong>

**So what do you think about Dis's attitude? BTW, I kinda changed the end of teh last chapter. **


	9. Chapter 7

**Chapter seven: Cold Oatmeal and Adventures with Kili**

That night, Thorin sat alone in his room, staring thoughtfully into the flames. Smoke from his pipe weaved calmly around his head, and the fire crackled and popped merrily in the fireplace. He hadn't seen his sister since he left her in the forest on the road home from Dale, and was wondering if she even came back to the mountain.

He turned his head slightly as he heard his door creak open. Small feet pitter-pattered over to his chair, and stopped by his arm.

"What are you doing out of bed Elona?" he asked, not unkindly.

"I wanted to talk to you." Thorin looked down. Elona's hair was in a long braid, showing her petite, pointed ears. Her startling green eyes gazed up at him, full of unanswered questions. She was barefoot, dressed only in the white nightgown Tauriel had found for her.

She sat down and faced the fire, resting her head on his shin. "What is bothering you little one?" Thorin asked, taking another puff from his pipe.

Elona let out a sigh. "Who was the lady that you got mad at?"

"That was Dis, my sister. She doesn't like elves at all, much like I used to."

"Who is Frerin?"

Thorin tensed. He had been thinking of his younger brother all day. "Frerin is…was my younger brother. He died in the Battle of Azanulbizar."

"I had a brother," Elona whispered. "He was much older than me."

"How much do you remember of him?" Thorin was curious now.

"I remember green grass, and a bow. He was teaching me to shoot I think. Then…I see fire…and a great black shadow…and he was telling me how much he loved me." Elona let out a shudder.

Thorin understood. Elona's brother had died when Smaug destroyed Laketown the second time. He reached down and pulled her into his lap. "I am sorry, little one."

They sat quietly for a while, until Elona's constantly moving mind came up with another question.

"Thorin? What is having a Da like?" Thorin opened his eyes, taken back by the odd question. He tried to think back, to the wonderful times he and his father, Thrain, had shared before he had caught gold sickness and Erebor was sacked.

"Well, little one, I'm not entirely sure. I can hardly remember my father. Why do you ask?" Thorin puffed out another ring of smoke as he waited for Elona to answer.

"I can't remember anything of my da, except that he very strong. He was very tall, taller than my mamma." She stared into the flames, tears glistening in her eyes. "I don't remember his voice, or hers, or their names."

Thorin wrapped his arm more securely around her, and she settled more comfortably into him, resting her head on his broad chest. "I am sure they loved you Elona, very much." Elona tilted her head up to look at him.

"But if they loved me, then why did they leave me? Why did they have to go get killed and leave me alone in Laketown?" the tears spilled from their eyes. "They promised they would come back. I know because my brother told me they did before he left. If they loved me, wouldn't they have kept their promise?" Thorin didn't know what to say to her.

"Elona, death is inevitable. But I want you to know this: you are loved now. Everyone that you met today, Kili, Fili, Tauriel, Balin, Nori, Ori, they all love you." Thorin could still feel her watching him.

"Do you love me Thorin?" Thorin was shocked at her small whisper. He looked down at her eyes, full of trust and hope. "Yes beautiful miracle, I love you as well." He gave her a small smile. She smiled back and looked back into the flames.

The pair sat there in silence, both caught up in their own thoughts. Soon, Thorin felt Elona sag slightly in his arms and her breathing get deeper. She had fallen asleep. Thorin chuckled to himself and set his pipe on the small table by his chair.

He stood up as carefully as he could, and slowly started the short walk to Elona's room. He gently laid her down on the soft furs and pulled the comforter up to her chin. He turned to leave but was stopped by a small voice slurred by sleep.

"I think this is what having a Da is like. Someone to say "I love you" every morning, and someone too tuck you in." Thorin turned back to the little elf and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Oh?" Elona nodded, her eyes slowly closing. "Mhmm. And he loves you even if he doesn't say it. And he takes care of you…..and he doesn't leave…ever…"she let out a yawn and cracked an eye back open. "I think you are like my Da Thorin."

Thorin felt something in his heart pull. He leaned forward and rested his lips on her brow. "Elona, I would be honored to be called your Da," he whispered tenderly. "My beautiful daughter…" he drew back slightly to see her eyes closed a smile on her sleeping face. He chuckled again. "Goodnight, my nathith."

Days passed into weeks, and Elona grew stronger and more beautiful by the day. Her quick mind also matured under Balin's tutelage. No one would ever have guessed that Elona wasn't Thorin's biological daughter, if they could see them now. She had captured the heart of the whole mountain, but Thorin wouldn't dare allow her into Dale without him. and if someone even dared to suggest that she go to Laketown, Thorin would have his head checked and send him to the mad house.

Dis, however, was being a problem. Ever since that first night, Elona had started calling Thorin Da or Daddy when they were alone or in the presence of the company, something Dis disapproved of entirely. She went to great lengths to make sure the child was as miserable as possible in her presence, throwing her oral jabs at the dinner table, and scowling and blatantly ignoring Elona when she tried to speak.

Fili and Kili had gained themselves a shadow. Instead of just being Kili-and-Fili, they were now Kili-Fili-and-Elona. Where one was, the other two were never far behind. They had taught her how to wield a bow and a small sword, and she had become almost as good at riding a horse as they were.

However, winter soon came, and Thorin wouldn't let Elona go outside after the first snow, much to her disappointment.

"But Daddy, it's so pretty outside! Please, just for a few minutes? I promise I will stay with Fili and Kili and won't run off! Pretty, pretty please?"

"Elona, I already said no. Orcs thrive in winter, and I don't want to take any chances. Besides, Fili has to go to Dale with me, and Kili is in charge of training this afternoon." Thorin hurried around his chambers, throwing on his boots, heavy shirt mail, and fur coat.

"Well, what about Tauriel? She's not busy." Elona sat on the window sill beside Thorin's bed, gazing longingly at the crisp, white blanket covering the earth. She was still in her blue nightgown, seeing as it wasn't very late in the morning.

"You know that wherever Kili is, Tauriel is not far behind. Those two are growing more inseparable by the day," Thorin muttered the last part under his breath. "Now where is my belt?"

"On the dresser," Elona sighed without looking away from the window. "There ain't even any orcs in Erebor." She grumbled. "And I don't see why you have to be gone for three days. Why can't Bard come here?" she wined, finally looking over at Thorin.

"Elona _ain't_ is not a word a princess should be using. And Bard can't come to the Lonely Mountain because I requested this meeting and it is common courtesy for me to go to Dale for it."

Elona groaned and dropped her head on her knees, her unbraided hair showering down to cover her face. Since it was so long now it reached her waist, Elona would normally put it in a single braid over her shoulder.

"Elona, it will only be for a few days. Nothing will happen." Elona looked at Thorin from under her hair. "But you've never left me alone for this long." She sniffed. "What if you don't come back? Like my father?"

Thorin set down his sword that he was strapping to his belt and walked over to her. "Little one, we have talked about this." He pulled a chair over to sit by her. "I will always come back. You won't ever be alone. You have me, Kili, Fili, Balin, Bofur, Bifur, and even Dwalin!" stood up and kissed her head. "But now I really have to go. Be good, and stay out of Kili's way until he is done training with the guard. If you need something, go find Bombur or Gloin or someone." He paused. "On second thought, don't find Gloin."

Elona laughed. "But I like Gloin!" she sighed and got up to hug Thorin. "Come back soon daddy. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you two, Nathith." He kissed the top of her curls before pulling back and cupping her petite face in his large hands. "I'll be home before you know it. Stay safe, and don't go outside unless you have Dwalin or Kili with you. Understand?"

Elona nodded. "I understand."

"Mahal you two!" a voice came from the door. "El, he's just leaving for three days! It's not like he's going to battle." Fili was leaning against the doorframe, dressed in his royal colors of gold and navy blue. Elona giggled at the sight of him in his crown. He absolutely detested wearing it, only donning it when they had visitors.

"Oy, what did I tell you about laughing at my crown?" he frowned at her. Thorin let out a chuckle and picked his own crown off the bed and gently settling it in his hair.

"I agree Fili. These are quite a nuisance. Be thankful that yours is much smaller than mine."

Fili laughed. "oh, I am uncle, every day. Now, are we going to Dale, or what?" Thorin sighed and grabbed his pack.

"Yes, I'm coming." He kissed Elona's brow one last time and followed Fili out the door.

Elona huffed and fell back on the bed. "Someday I'm going to make him let me go." She sighed and left the room, walking down the hall to her own. She opened her wardrobe and pulled out a dark red dress and her leather corset, deciding that now would be as good a time as any to get dressed.

When she had dressed and braided her hair, Elona was at a loss on what to do. She couldn't ride her horse, because that was outside. The training room was being used by Kili and the rest of the royal guard. Bombur would still be fast asleep, and she had absolutely no idea where Bifur and Bofur were. Balin went to help Thorin and bard negotiate terms for winter trading, which meant she couldn't badger him with useless questions to pass the time. Tauriel was with Kili, and Dwalin most likely was as well. Bilbo never left his room until noon, and Gloin and Oin would most likely be with Gloin's family. That left the brothers Ri. Ori would most likely be too absorbed by his journal to notice if she tried to talk to him, and no one has seen Nori in at least a week. Dori also went with Thorin, being the best besides Ori at writing up contracts.

So she could go play pranks on the staff, or try to talk to Dis. Elona shuddered at the thought of being around Dis without Thorin standing next to her. That option was out. She walked over to her writing desk and pulled a list out of the top drawer.

_Elona's Top Five Pranks to Pull_

_Number one: Replace Bombur's ale with apple juice. _

That one wouldn't work because Bombur was still asleep.

_Number two: Find Ori's journal and discreetly tell Nori where it is. _

Okay, that one was pretty mean and she had no idea where Nori was.

_Number three: Replace Bilbo's pipe weed with spinach. _

_Number four: Dye Dwalin's beard pink (temporarily). _

She might do that one later.

_Number five: Dump a bucket of something while he's training. _

Ah, perfect. She tucked the list back into the desk and took off to the kitchens.

A few hours later, Elona had stealthily snuck into the training room, and silently climbed into the rafters. She held her bucket of cold oatmeal in one hand, and balanced herself with the other. She was watching Kili spar with Tauriel, and waiting for him to walk….there. She had him right where she wanted him. Elona slowly, silently tipped the bucket on its side, and watched as all the contents came splattering on Kili's head.

The entire room froze at the sound of the cold slop hitting the floor. She couldn't see Kili's face, but Tauriel's was priceless. She accidentally let out a small snort.

Dwalin's eyes immediately snapped up to her, and a small grin slowly spread on his face. "Kili, I believe that you have taught your Namadith too well." Kili looked up at Elona, oatmeal dripping from his hair. He was scowling, but anyone could see the mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"Elona Moriah," he said with pride in his voice. "You have successfully pulled your first prank without either me or Fili to help you. I believe that your training is complete, my apprentice." His face broke into a huge smile, and I started laughing as he swooped into a dramatic bow, flinging oatmeal everywhere.

The training session was dismissed, and Elona followed Tauriel as she herded Kili back to his room. "Elona, how in middle earth did you sneak by us like that?"

"Very carefully." Elona smirked. She plopped herself on Fili's empty bed and Tauriel made Kili sit down by the water basin.

"Elona, where did you get this stuff?" Tauriel was trying to scrub the sticky oats off Kili's jacket.

Elona shrugged. "I have my ways." Kili rolled his eyes. "Your ways being puppy eyes and half-deaf cooks in the kitchen?"

Elona sighed dramatically and fell back on the bed. "My highly ingenious ideas are now known to the world. So do you have anything else you gotta do today? 'Cuz I'm bored." She sat back up to see Kili pulling his leather traveling coat from his wardrobe.

"Well, what about an adventure? Just the two of us." Kili's eyes twinkled with mirth.

Elona immediately jumped up. "Really? Can we go hunting?" Kili nodded.

"Sure we can. As soon as you go get on your riding dress and cloak." Elona was running back to her room before he had finished speaking. Tauriel turned to Kili with a frown.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Kili shrugged. "We'll be perfectly fine. Its only for the afternoon." He walked over to where she was sitting on his bed and kissed her brow. "We'll be back soon." Kili smiled at her one last time before leaving.

Tauriel shook her head and whispered to the empty room. "Please let this horrible feeling that I have be wrong. Please."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So this is kinda a filler chap. I just want to point out, staring at the middle of this chapter, Elona has grown into her true mental age of 14-16 years old. She still looks like a ten year old child, but is now more mature than she was a month ago. And she and Thorin finally have their "Daddy's Little Girl" relationship, which means that I can get on to the good part! I think that this story only has about 5-10 chapters left, and then I will start on the sequel. <strong>

**For anyone who is interested, I wrote a modern AU one shot of Elona and Thorin. Elona is about fifteen physically, and Thorin is her adopted father. And did anyone go read my one shot about Dis and Frerin getting stuck in the chandelier? **


	10. Chapter 8

**Chapter eight: Danger**

Kili and Elona chased each other through the forest, Elona on her black mare and Kili on his appaloosa. The snow flew up from under the thundering hooves, the horses seeming to have as good a time as their riders. The bellowing laugh of the dwarf and the chiming giggle of the elfling could be heard echoing and bouncing off the trees, alerting everything in the forest to their presence.

After a few hours of frolicking like children, the two decided to settle down and make a fire. It was starting to get colder, but Kili thought nothing of it. Neither one saw the ominous grey clouds starting to appear over the peak of the Lonely Mountain.

The two dismounted and tied the horses to a nearby tree. Elona grabbed the lunch she had packed before leaving while Kili tried to start a fire. Elona couldn't be in happier spirits. The sun was shining, making the snow sparkle like a million diamonds, and a soft breeze was making her hair flow gently around her face. It had come out of its braid earlier, and she hadn't bothered to put it back.

To Kili, Elona looked like a perfect picture of child youth and innocence, and swore to keep her like that for as long as possible. She was the little sister he had never knew he had wanted, and now he couldn't imagine life in Erebor without her. Now he knew how Fili felt as an older brother, and it gave him a new respect for his second half.

Kili turned his mind back to the task at hand. This wood wouldn't catch a flame! Whenever he had a small spark, the wind would snuff it out. Speaking of the wind, how had he not noticed it getting stronger?

"Kili?" Elona was looking at him in worry. She had noticed the wind as well, but the trees still hid the clouds from their sight. "Kili what is going on?"

Kili sent her a reassuring smile. "It's nothing, just a small bit of wind passing through. We best be heading back though, I don't want you getting too cold." Elona scowled.

"You're just as bad as Thorin." She muttered. They gathered their things and turned back to the horses, but froze when a loud crack split the sky. The horses neighed and pulled on the branch until it gave with another loud crack.

"Wait, no! Come back!" Kili called after them. But it was too late; their steeds were already long gone. Thunder rolled through the forest. "Oh Mahal," Kili breathed. He had finally spotted the approaching storm. He knew those clouds, and terror struck him.

"Kee, wha…what's going on?" Elona was looking up at him, terror clear in her face. She was scared to death of the look on his face. Kili was never that serious. He crouched down in front of her.

"Elona, you need to listen to me," he grabbed her shoulders. "This is not the time to be scared. You need to keep your wits about you, and stat close to me. Never let go of my hand."

"Why Kili? What's happening?" Elona wrapped her cloak tighter around her as the wind started picking up, biting her cheeks and making her eyes water.

"There is a blizzard headed our way, and we need to walk into it to get back to the mountain." Kili grabbed her hand and started trudging through the snow. "We have no time to waste."

The first flurries came a few minutes later. The wind was blowing so hard now that they had trouble hearing each other. Kili gripped Elona's hand tighter and tried to move faster. "Keep moving Elona. If we stop we might not be able to keep moving." The wind was making the temperature drop rapidly, and Kili could feel Elona's hand trembling viciously in his. He looked up. There, the break in the trees! They were almost out of the forest.

The snow was extremely thick now. Kili couldn't see ten feet in front of him. He looked back at Elona. She was almost as white as the snow around them, whether from fear or cold, he didn't know. Probably both. Her eyes snapped up to meet his, and they were full of terror.

"Kili, look!" Kili snapped his head forward again, and saw what had Elona so terrified. There was none other than an orc atop a warg glaring at them through the snow.

"Elona, stay behind me, I'll take care of him." no sooner had Kili drawn his bow, than five more orcs came out of the trees and surrounded him. Elona whimpered and clutched his leg. "Kili, what do we do?" Kili swallowed, but offered no answer. He would not give her false hope. "We fight." And with that, he charged the orcs.

Tauriel shivered and wrapped her cloak tighter around herself. She was sitting by the window in her room, watching the vicious wind whip the snow around outside. She could only hope that Kili and Elona were already back and warming up by the fire. But, if Kili was back already, then the first thing he would have done was come find her. She was sure of it. Perhaps he had decided to take care of Elona first? She decided to go check in with the guard on duty to make sure.

She went down to the stables, where she knew they would have come in first. What she saw immediately told her something was wrong. All the guards were running around in frenzy, gathering weapons and cloaks and amour. Dwalin stood in their midst, barking out orders as he strapped on his own armor and pulled on his warmest boot.

"Dwalin," she called, panic entering her voice. "What happened? Where are Kili and Elona?" Dwalin whipped around to look at her, his eyes filled with worry but his face a mask of determination.

"Tauriel, there you are! Kili and Elona are currently stuck in a blizzard without horses." He gestured over to where the stable boy was calming down Elona's mare and Kili's appy. Tauriel gasped as her hands flew to her mouth.

"Are you going after them?" Dwalin nodded and started to his horse. "Aren't you coming?" he called over his shoulder.

Tauriel nodded. "It's not like you can make me stay behind." She grabbed her armor off the wall and quickly started strapping it on.

They pounded out the gates, the royal guard trailing behind them. Tauriel scanned the woods stretching before them.

"Alright men, spread out!" Dwalin thundered over the wind. "We meet back at the stables in half an hour. Search in parties of two; no one is to be alone in this weather!" he nodded to tauriel, and the two of them entered the trees together. Tauriel let her horse pick the trail, as she scanned the snow for any signs of her dwarf.

Dwalin was calling Kili's name, but most of the time his voice was carried away in the wind. Then they heard it; the scream of pain and terror was clear as day. "Elona," Tauriel breathed out.

Their horses pushed through the trees in the direction of the voice. Suddenly Tauriel spotted something long and thin laying on the ground. She dismounted to get a better look.

"No!" it was Kili's bow. The string had snapped, and where his hand would go was covered in blood. "Dwalin!" she all but screamed at him. Dwalin turned in his saddle to look at her, and paled when he saw the familiar weapon. They pressed on with renewed vigor, fighting the wind with every step. Images of Kili flashed through Tauriel's mind: Kili wounded; Kili dying; Kili dead, the snow around him stained with his blood. It was all she had to keep from sobbing his name out.

Soon, Tauriel saw something else in the snow. It was a sword. Kili's sword. She picked it up to show Dwalin, but he had dismounted his horse and was digging through an irregularly shaped lump of snow. For a moment she thought he had gone crazy, but then Dwalin cleared the snow off of the lump, and Tauriel saw a figure with dark brown hair and a leather cloak laying face down in the snow.

"Kili!" she screamed, dropping to her knees beside him and gently turning him over. His eyes fluttered open and he groaned. "Tauriel…" he rasped.

"It's okay, I'm here. What happened, where's Elona?" she cradled Kili's head in her lap as Dwalin checked him for injuries. His lips were slowly turning blue, and he was white as a sheet.

"Blizzard…horses…orcs took…Elona…" he closed his eyes and grimaced as Dwalin poked his ribs.

"Broken rib," Dwalin announced. "We need to get him back to the mountain. The men can finish searching for Elona." Tauriel nodded and backed away as Dwalin helped Kili stand up. He helped Kili mount his horse before turning back to Tauriel. "I'll take him back. You need to go inform Thorin and Fili."

She nodded and got back on her horse. She could only hope that Elona was found soon.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: So yeah, it's kinda short, but you should be proud of me for doing two chapters in one day! All I can say is that writing about Middle Earth is a ton better than doing geography. <strong>


	11. Chapter 9

**Chapter nine: A Mountain Full of Imbeciles**

Thorin was at wit's end. These stupid humans would not shut up! He sighed and resisted the urge to slam his head on the table. The wind was howling furiously outside, and all he could think about was how scared Elona would be and hoped that Kili was there to comfort her. They had found out a few weeks ago how terrified of thunder and lightning she was. She had gone so far as to crawl into bed with him and wouldn't leave until the sun shone through the windows.

Thorin looked at the men seated around the table. There was Thranduil from Mirkwood and his son Legolas, Bard looked about as bored as he did, and a few human rulers from nearby kingdoms and towns. Even Gandalf was here, but Thorin had no idea why. They were discussing trade, alliances, and other business Thorin had no interest in. He would much rather be sitting by the fire in his room, a warm mug of ale in his hand, and laughing with his nephews and Elona.

"However, I have heard that this should be a most formidable winter, so in the case of being unable to travel the trade routes due to snow and ice, I say that we find a way to compensate…" one particularly old human ruler droned on…and on…and on….BANG!

Everyone in the room jumped from their seats as the giant oak doors crashed open. A harsh, biting wind thrust its way in a put out the huge fire roaring at the end of the long hall. A tall figure atop a horse came billowing in, flaming red hair whipping from the wind and cheeks cherry red from the cold.

Thorin, Fili, and Gandalf recognized the figure immediately, as did Thranduil and Thorin noticed how Legolas's face lit up at the sight of his old friend.

"Tauriel! What is the meaning of this?" Thorin tried to maintain the air of a calm and collected dwarf king, but inside he was a flurry of emotions. Why was Tauriel here? Was the mountain being attacked? Was Kili alright? Was, Mahal forbid, Elona hurt?

"Thorin…Fili…you…have to go back…" Tauriel slid off her horse, trying to catch her breath.

"Why? What happened? Is Elona safe? And Kili?" Thorin was on the verge of panicking now, but maintained to keep a calm disposition.

Tauriel straightened up and cleared her throat. "No. Elona is not safe. Kili is severely wounded." Thorin had to grab Fili's arm to keep him from barging out of the room. "They were playing outside and got caught in the blizzard and then they were attacked by orcs and we had to go find them and the orcs took Elona and Kili is half frozen…" by now Tauriel was sobbing and Fili was straining against Thorin, pleading with his eyes to let him go to his brother.

Thorin, however, was seething. A red haze had settled over his eyes. "What do you mean they got caught in the blizzard?" Tauriel flinched at the fury in his voice. "You are sure Elona was taken by orcs?" Tauriel nodded. "Quite sure."

"THEN WHY ARE YOU NOT LOOKING FOR HER!?" he let go of Fili and stormed past he terrified elf. "IN ALL OF THE MOUNTAINS IN MIDDLE EARTH, WHY DO I HAVE TO RULE THE ONE FULL OF COMPLETE IMBECILES?!" his ranting faded in the wind as he stormed off to go collect his horse. Even Fili was rooted to the spot in shock.

"Who is Elona?" Legolas broke the silence that had settled over the room. Tauriel whipped her head around to face him. "Elona is someone very dear to Thorin. Come on Fili, we have an orc pack to find."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Alright, please don't be mad at me at how short it is. I just really, <em>really <em>wanted to write Thorin's reaction to Elona going missing, and then I thought "Why not give them three chapters in one day, even if the are ridiculously short?" **

**So, speaking of chapters, should I do more short chapters with shorter update time, or long chapters with longer update time? You guys decide, and tell me in a review or PM. **

**Do you guys like "The mountain full of imbeciles" quote better, or the "I have every right" quote? I can't decide, they're both pretty great. **


	12. Chapter 10

**Chapter ten: Storming Kings and the Obnoxious Meddler**

Thorin thundered into the Hall of Kings with Fili by his side, and Tauriel scrambling behind them. "Guard!" he shouted forcefully. One of his royal guards hurried to him. "Prepare my horse. I want her waiting for me by the front gate. And I want the rest of my company to aid me in my search as well."

"There is no need for your guard to tell us that Thorin," a voice came from behind him. Thorin turned around to see Bofur and the rest of the company in full battle armor under their winter protection. Their weapons had been hastily shined and sharpened, and their faces grim.

"Elona is part of the company now. And no member of this company gets left behind on my watch." The rest of the dwarves raised their various weapons in response to Bofur's words. Within the hurricane of emotions Thorin was experiencing, he felt immense gratitude and thanks surface.

"Aye Thorin," Nori spoke up. "You wanted loyalty, honor, and a willing heart. Well, you wanted it for the quest," Nori smirked. "And that quest is over, but that don't mean you're gettin' rid of us any time soon."

Thorin could not help but feel almost undeserving of these dwarves. He almost led them to their death multiple times, but still they remained as loyal to him as they were that day many years ago when Bilbo Baggins' pantry was plundered. "Thank you," he said softly and tilted their head to them.

"Uncle, what about Kili?" Fili's panicky voice shook some sense into Thorin. "Oh Mahal," he gasped. How could he forget about his nephew?

He turned to the rest of the dwarves watching him. "You go ahead, I need to make sure Kili is alright. We'll catch up." Then he turned and ran for the stairs leading for the bed chambers, Fili following closely behind him.

Fili's first thought when he walked into the room he shared with his brother was "_Mahal, its hot in here." _

Then his vision tunneled to the shivering from lying on the bed, and he lost all train of thought. He heard someone whimper his brother's name, and when Kili's eyes snapped to him did Fili realize that it had been his voice.

"Fee…" that was all Fili needed to break out of his stupor and rush to sit beside his brother. He tuned out the voices of Thorin and the healers and reached out a trembling hand to stroke Kili's brow. Silently he was thanking the Valar that his brother hadn't been killed, but then was reminded of Elona at the nonexistent mercy of the orcs and immediately felt terrible again.

"Kili, you look terrible." Kili let out a small chuckle at his brother's words. "Aye, I have looked and felt better. Damn orcs."

Fili sighed in relief that his brother was still cracking stupid jokes. "You really are an idiot sometimes. Where are you hurt?" Kili winced. "I was hoping you wouldn't ask. Morgul blade, clear across my chest."

Fili frowned at his brother and pulled his shirt up so he could see it. True enough, a thick white bandage was wrapped around his chest. It was stained red and black and Fili had to swallow the lump in his throat. "Com'on fee, it's not that bad. At least it's not an arrow wound, right?" Kili smirked and even Fili had to hide a small smirk at that.

Then Kili's eyes darkened and he clutched Fili's arm. "Fee, Elona…the orcs took her! You have to go find her! She's out there alone…"

Fili had to grip his brother's shoulders and force him to lie back on the pillows again. "We know Kili," Thorin voice came from behind him.

"Uncle, I'm sorry. I tried, I really did but there was too many of them…" Fili turned around to see Thorin standing behind him. "I know Kili. But what's done is done." He sighed and put a hand on Kili's brow. "We will find her, but you need to stay here and rest. No playing hero, do you understand me?"

Kili cast his eyes down and nodded forlornly. "Yes uncle," he mumbled. Thorin rested his forehead against Kili's for a moment before straightening up and looking to Fili. He had learned long ago that trying to force his nephews to leave each other when one was wounded or hurting would end in a lost cause. "Fili, are you staying here, or coming with us?"

Fili was torn. He wanted so badly to help look for his little sister, and then strangle every orc that dared touch his family with his bare hands. But on the other hand, how could he leave Kili when he was like this? Kili was clutching weakly at his sleeve, a clear sign of what he wanted Fili to do.

"I'm staying here," Fili swallowed. Thorin nodded and retreated from the room. "Uncle," Fili called to him. Thorin turned back around. "Be safe." Thorin let a hint of a smile show on his lips, then nodded once at his nephews and left.

Meanwhile, Tauriel was organizing the search parties with Dwalin. Each member of the original company would lead a troop of ten heavily armed men. "Bofur, you take the southern side. Gloin, the east. Bifur, the north and Nori will take the west. Everyone else fill in between. Our goal is to surround the pack before they have the chance to leave the forest." Everyone nodded and murmured in understanding.

"Pardon me, my dear elf, but why exactly are we surrounding these orcs?" everyone turned to see none other than the grey wizard himself walk through the door of the armory.

"Mithrandir! Will you help us?" Tauriel sincerely hoped he would stay. If he didn't help look, at least he could try to heal Kili.

"I would love to lend my services to you," Gandalf smiled and leaned on his old staff. "But I am afraid I cannot be of much help unless a little light is shed to me about the problem I am helping with."

"The problem is that I am surrounded by blumbering idiots." Gandalf and Tauriel turned to see Thorin storm through the door. What is it with Thorin storming everywhere today? Oh yeah, Elona is gone. That's right.

Gandalf chuckled. "Ah, but my dear dwarf, I believe that was already common knowledge." Tauriel had to stifle a smile. Thorin, however, wasn't amused.

"This is no time for jokes. Tauriel, fill the obnoxious meddler in. I'm heading out." And with that, he (once again) stormed away.

"'The obnoxious meddler,' eh?" Gandalf's eyes twinkled. "I've been called worse. Now, may I please know what's going on?

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><p><strong>AN: Gotta agree with you there Thorin, Gandalf can be slightly obnoxious. Sorry for the wait and the ridiculously short chapters. This one is not my best, I'll admit. Plus, I've developed a small bought of writer's block. It's terrible. Makes my brain all itchy. So to get rid of it, I started a new plot that has been bouncing around in my head. It's called You Don't Know What You Have Until It's Gone. Of course, it's about Fili and Kili. Go read it! Then get all mad at me for the suckish chapter I gave you. <strong>


	13. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven: Disgraced**

Elona had never been so scared. Even when she was living in Lake Town and the apple-cart-man had hit her she wasn't as scared as she was now. The orcs were much, much worse than she could have ever imagined.

After the leader had hit Kili in the head with the hilt of his disgusting sword, he had turned to the orc holding Elona by her hair. "Well boys, I think we have found ourselves the elvish dwarf princess everyone has been talking about. Elona Moriah, I have heard her name is. Daughter of the great and mighty Thorin Oakenshield." he spat out Thorin's name. "I am sure he would pay a pretty price to get her back, what do you think princess?"

"My Adad will come save me!" she struggled against the orc holding her. "And he will kill you in the process!" the orc threw his head back and laughed, a disgusting, gurgling sound that made Elona wince.

"Oh I'm sure he would, unless my death would mean yours as well. Take her back to camp." He snarled to the orc. Elona was jerked along by her hair, her frozen feet dragging through the snow. "No! Let me go! Kili! Kili help! Let me go! No! Adad!" she was sobbing by the time they reached the orc's camp. They gagged her and bound her hands and feet before throwing her on the roots of a nearby tree, too far away from their fire to get any warmth from it.

Night fell quickly, and the temperature dropped even farther. Elona couldn't feel her hands anymore, the orcs having taken her gloves. Her feet had gone numb long ago, as well as the cheek that was pressed against the ground. She watched the orcs fight over what little food they had, the smallest being forced to gnaw on left over bones. Elona was waiting for two things, her Adad to come to her rescue, and the orcs to become bored and used her for their entertainment. Unfortunately, the latter came first.

The lead orc crouched down in front of Elona, the firelight flickering menacingly over his grotesque figures. "Well little princess, your Adad hasn't come yet. Do you still think he will?" Elona ignored the orc, instead she stared into the flames a few yards away from her.

_Crack!_

Elona let out a yelp at the sharp pain in her cheek. The orc had slapped her with his clawed hand, leaving long gashes across her cheek. "You impudent little piece of elf-scum. I think you need to be taught some manners," he snarled at her. "Maybe I can get you to talk then." He cut the ropes holding her hands and feet and roughly pulled her over to the fire. "Get me a knife!" he barked.

An orc scurried over with a jagged rusty blade. Elona whimpered when the orc holding her grabbed it. he smiled cruelly at her fear before bringing the knife to her face. "I have heard that you Adad acquired a new scar in the war so many years ago." Elona knew the scar he was talking about. It was an almost invisible line running from the bottom of his ear, through his beard, down his neck and ending at his collarbone. "How would you like one to match?"

Before Elona could make a sound, the knife had connected with the tender flesh of her ear. She let out yelps and whimpers of pain as the orc slowly dragged the knife across her face. His cruel smile never seemed to leave his face. When he reached her chin, he barked at another orc to grab her head. The new orc yanked her head back by her hair so the knife could continue its path down her throat.

The orcs by the fire cackled at her cries, calling out taunts. _Adad, where are you? _She thought. When the orc let go of her, Elona slumped forward onto the ground, her hair spilling around her head. The lead orc laughed again, smiling at the pain he brought her. His laugh cut short, however, when he noticed the small braid behind her ear. It was a braid that Thorin had put there a few weeks before. It was nothing very fancy, just a simple fishtail braid, but the end of it was clasped with a bead engraved with Thorin's royal seal, signifying her as his daughter.

"So, the elf wears braids as a dwarf, eh? Well, then perhaps she can be disgraced as a dwarf as well." He sneered at her small form curled up on the ground. Her eyes snapped open at his words, and she recalled one of Balin's lessons.

_"A dwarf's pride is in his beard and hair Elona. That is why you will never see a dwarf with an unkempt beard." "But balin, why is Thorin's beard so short?" "Thorin keeps his beard short to honor those that lost theirs in the dragon fire little one. But he makes up for it with his braids in his hair." "Why do dwarves keep their hair long Balin?" Now Balin grew much more serious. "Elona, to cut a dwarf's hair is the greatest form of disgrace, unless the dwarf cuts his hair himself. It is even worse than a death sentence to have a beard or your hair cut." _

"No," Elona whimpered softly as the orc pulled her up again. A cruel light lit up his eyes. He brought the knife to the back of her head and grabbed a fistful of hair. "No." Elona said more forcefully, struggling in his grasp. He laughed at her weak attempts to escape. "No, stop!" she shouted as a few of her chocolate curls fell on the ground. "Please! Stop this! Adad! Adad!" her cries turned to heart-wrenching sobs as the orc hacked away at her hair. "N-no! St-stop p-please! Adad! Daddy! Help me! Tauriel, Kili, Fili, Dwalin! Someone help! Please!"

The orc paid no heed to her blubbering, tearing and sawing away her long hair. Soon, Elona was almost unrecognizable; her waist length hair was unevenly cut to varying lengths above her shoulders, the shortest piece curling above her ear. He threw the sobbing elfling to the ground, making her lay where she could see her severed curls.

"You really believe he loves you? That he sees you as his child?" the orc barked out a cruel laugh. "Thorin Oakenshield hates elves. Always has, always will. Why would you be any different?" He sneered and aimed a quick kick at her shoulder, making her cry out and clutch it. "You're not, that's why. Why would the king under the mountain take you in, a weak, ugly, disgusting piece of elf _filth, _except out of pity?" tears streaked down Elona's face and froze on her cheeks. The orc saw this and kicked her again, but in the head instead of her shoulder. Elona cried out, and her hand left her shoulder to clutch her ear. When she brought it away, it was covered in blood. She looked up at the orc and saw his sneering, mutilated mouth moving, but couldn't hear the words from the fierce ringing in her head…

Soon the orc seemed to grow bored of sneering and growling at her, but he gave her one more kick to the head before he went to the fire, sending more pain ringing through her ears. She clutched her eyes shut, trying to block out the noise threatening to tear her head apart.

The ringing finally stopped, but all other noise seemed to leave with it. She opened her eyes, expecting to see the orcs sneering at her as they ate, but they weren't anywhere to be seen. Instead, her very own Adad stood in front of her. He had come for her.

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><p><strong>AN: Ummm...Hi? *Huntress waves from behind Legolas. Legolas rolls his eyes but draws his bow anyways and aims it at the glaring readers.* Don't shoot me please! I have been really busy lately and have had no time to update. Plus, I have also had some major writing block for this story. Thank you to my Kili for giving me inspiration for this chapter and teh next, even if you don't know that you did! (If that confuses you, me and my best friend have this joke that she is Kili cuz she is like my younger sister and has brown hair, and I am Fili cuz I have blond hair...and we act exactly like Fili and Kili...) <strong>

**R&R!**


	14. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve: Raw Fury and Reconciliation **

Thorin was not sure what he was feeling as he led the dwarves to the forest. He wanted to tear apart everything he saw at the thought of his sweet, innocent little elf in the hands of orcs, but he also felt an overwhelming urge to break down and give in to the dark thoughts plaguing his mind. _What if she's already dead? What if she is being tortured beyond recognition? She is going to end up just like Frerin, and it will be your entire fault. Murderer…._

He shook his head as images of Elona lying dead in a pool of her own blood tormented his mind. She is still alive, he told himself. I have not failed her yet.

He slowed his horse as they neared the forest. He hardly acknowledged Dwalin as he came up beside him, keeping his hard glare on the dark trees. "What do we do Thorin?"

Thorin glanced at Dwalin before speaking. "We follow Tauriel's plan. Surround the orcs, and then wait for my signal to attack. Dwalin, Bofur, Balin, and Tauriel, with me." with that, the dwarves broke off into groups and spread out through the trees. Thorin had no hesitation before nudging his horse into the forest, drawing his sword as he did.

They rode through in silence, listening for any indication of where the camp was. Then they heard it, the harsh, cackling laughter of orcs.

"No! Stop! Please stop!" Thorin whipped his head to the familiar sobbing voice. "Elona, no!" he breathed. He turned his horse to charge, but a hand on his reins stopped him. "Thorin, think!" Dwalin spoke harshly. "If we charge in there, they will kill Elona without a second thought and run before we are in range. She is still alive, and I want to keep her that way."

Thorin glared at his friend before nodding. "Fine. But if he makes her scream like that one more time, then I will charge in there, army behind me or no." he dismounted his horse and signaled the others to do the same. "We will approach them on foot."

The small group slipped silently through the trees until they saw the gleam of the fire. They crouched in the snow out of sight of the orcs, but still able to see the camp. Only now Thorin realized that he could no longer hear Elona's cries. He blanched, until he saw her immobile form laying some ways from the fire.

She was sprawled on her stomach with her face turned to him, her eyes clenched shut and a grimace of pain spread across her features. Her coat had been taken from her and her dress was ripped. Her pale face was covered in blood and her lips were and alarming blue. In front of her was a pile of brown hair…her brown hair…they cut her hair. They cut her _hair. _The orcs _cut _her _hair!_ Thorin saw red. How _dare _they. How dare they_ cut her hair!_

"I will kill them," Thorin hissed to Dwalin. "I will rip them apart piece by piece. They will beg for mercy." He was trembling with rage. "They will rue the day they dared harm the daughter of Thorin Oakenshield." Before anyone could stop him, Thorin raised Orcrist and charged the orcs with a battle cry full of raw fury.

It was a short battle. Thorin saw nothing but red as he cut down the filth that dared defile his Little Miracle. He hardly noticed when Dwalin, Balin, Bofur and Tauriel joined him; he only stopped when he saw no more orcs attacking him. "Burn the bodies," he spat. "They did not deserve so merciful a death."

"Adad?" Thorin whipped around when he heard the weak whimper behind him. "Elona!" she was trying to push herself up on wobbly arms, and he had to catch her before she dropped back onto the hard snow. "Oh Elona, I'm so sorry little one." His heart clenched when he saw her bloody face and uneven hair.

Thorin held her shoulders as he scanned her for more injuries. Her ear was torn and bloodied, but other than that she seemed unharmed. "Thank Aule you're alive." He gently wrapped his arms around her as she clutched his tunic, not noticing the confused expression she gave him when he spoke. She started sobbing into his chest. "Hush little one," he stroked what was left of her curls. "You're safe now. I have you." Thorin held Elona as she cried. He was vaguely aware of the others moving around him, burning the corpses and filling the rest of the company in. He was so focused on soothing Elona that he didn't notice Gandalf walking up to him with his horse.

"Thorin, the child will freeze if she stays out here any longer. You need to get her back to the mountain." Thorin looked up and sighed before nodding. "You're right Gandalf." Gandalf smiled and handed Elona to Thorin after he had mounted his mare. "Tell Balin he is in charge here, get them out of the cold as soon as possible." Gandalf nodded at Thorin's words. "I will. Now go you fool! Get her somewhere warm!" Thorin nodded and spurred his horse forward, but not before rolling his eyes exasperatedly. It seems that Gandalf would never come out of the habit of calling him a fool.

It took him much longer than he would have liked to reach the mountain. He didn't bother going around to the stables, but charged right through the front gates instead. When the guards saw the shivering elleth in his arms and the thunderous look on Thorin's face, they took his horse without question.

There was already a roaring fire in Thorin's room, probably of Fili's making. Thorin gently laid Elona on the couch closest to the fire before adding more logs to it, wanting Elona to be as warm as possible.

Elona didn't look at Thorin as he covered her with blankets. She stared forlornly into the flames and refused to meet his eyes. "Elona, what is wrong?" Elona made no notion that she heard him. "Elona?" she still would not move. "Elona, look at me," still nothing. "Elona?" he called a little louder and shook her shoulder. She yelped at the movement before whimpering in pain. "Little one, what is going on? Why won't you look at me?" Elona didn't answer him, but just stared at Thorin with scared, confused eyes. Tears started leaking down her face again, mixing with the blood and grime streaking her cheeks.

Thorin gave her a worried look before warming up some water to wash her face with. When he came back, she had curled into herself and was sobbing silently. He crouched in front of her with the bowl and rag in hand. "Elona Moriah, what is wrong? I know the orcs hurt you, but why won't you talk?" She still didn't answer, but by now, Thorin had caught sight of her torn ear. It looked like something rough had been slowly dragged across it, tearing away the pointy tip and leaving it scarred and bloody.

Thorin gently started cleaning it with the warm rag to get a better look at it. The more he cleaned it, however, he started realizing that the bleeding was coming from _inside _her ear. "Oh Mahal," he breathed. He set the bowl down and grabbed Elona's small hands, bringing them away from her face. "Elona," when she didn't look at him, Thorin gently grabbed her chin and turned her face to his. "Elona, can you hear me?"

Elona just looked blankly at him before more tears started streaking down her face. That was all the answer Thorin needed. "Oh Elona," he choked, and gathered her in his arms. Elona clung to him, like he was the only thing keeping her sane. How could this happen to her? To sweet, little Elona?

Eventually, Elona cried herself to sleep, but Thorin still held her. He refused to let his own tears fall, but it was hard. His precious daughter, captured by orcs, tortured, disgraced, and now…no. He refused to think it. It was only temporary, it had to be. At least she hadn't been killed.

With this thought, Thorin reluctantly let go of Elona and gently covered her with furs once more. She was still filthy, and needed be cleaned. Thorin warmed the water again and got a clean rag. He cleaned off her face with a gentleness he didn't know he possessed, and tried his hardest to ignore the trail of dried blood leaking out her other ear. He had just barley finished cleaning out the long gash stretching across her face when his door creaked open.

"Thorin?" a soft voice called from the doorway. Thorin started at the familiar voice and turned to see Dis shyly poking her head in. he flashed back to before Smaug came, and Dis would come to room during storms to crawl in bed with him; she had always been afraid of thunder. "Dis, what are you doing?" Thorin stood up, subconsciously coming to stand before Elona.

Dis stepped into the room and softly closed the door. The two stared at each other for a few minutes before Dis decided to talk. "Thorin I…I'm sorry." She ducked her head and Thorin raised an eyebrow. "I've been thinking…a-about what you said, and I…I realize now that I was wrong." She raised her head and Thorin wasn't surprised to see tears streaking down her face. His heart pulled; there wasn't anything he hated more than seeing his strong-willed sister crying.

"You were right about Frerin. He wouldn't leave a child to starve just because of her race. It wasn't the elves' fault that he died. Thranduil is stupid, but it wasn't his fault the orcs caught Fre at Azanulbizar." She let out a sob. "I see how much you truly love that child Thorin, and I'm sorry I've been such a…a spoilt brat about her. Forgive me?" Dis peeked up through her eyelashes. She probably fully expected Thorin to lash out at her, and he thought about it too, but his older brother side won over.

He said nothing, but gave his little sister a small smile and opened his arms to her. She let out a tearful sob and ran to him, like she was a young child again. "There, there Dis," he soothed. "I forgave you a long time ago. Mad or not, I am still you brother, and you are my little sister. I love you Dis." Dis let out another sob into his shoulder. "I'm so sorry Thorin. Please, please never get mad at me like that again. I couldn't stand it." Thorin hugged her closer and rested his head on hers. "I know Namadith. I know." he stroked her hair until her sobs quieted into sniffles.

"I love you too, Nadad."

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><p><strong>AN: *Huntress is still hiding behind Legolas, but Legolas has his bow put away and is rolling his eyes at Huntress.* Hello again! Two long chapters in one day! Thank you for not coming after me with pitch forks and torches for taking so long to post chapter eleven, but I still think I will hide behind my elf. *Legolas facepalms and wonders why he still puts up with Huntress.* Now now Legolas, you put up with me because you don't want me to kill you off in book two. Right? That's what I thought. Oh the power you have being an author. *Sigh...*<strong>

**Now, I would just like to remind everyone, I am not a doctor. Well, unless you count doctoring my horses when I don't want to take them to the vet, then yeah. But still. Have any of you guessed what is wrong with our little elfling yet? If you have, then please know that I know it may be impossible for her to get this...infliction the way I said she did, but once again, I am not a doctor, my horses have never gotten it, and I have never known anyone that has gotten it that was not born with it. So there. **

**I am trying to get chapter thirteen typed up, but it is kinda hard because of what we just discussed in the paragraph above...**

**Review people, and I might let our elf live! No Legolas, not you, Elona. Why would I let you live? *Legolas pulls out a knife.* Kidding...kidding...**


	15. Chapter 13

**AN: I will say this once more, I AM NOT A DOCTOR! So I am sorry if this chapter seems a little unrealistic, but hey, this is Fanfiction. Who cares?**

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><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen: Soundless<strong>

Silence. Elona used to love it. It meant safety; it meant that she was alone and nothing could harm her. Then she grew to love it even more, when she and Thorin would do nothing but sit by the fire together. Occasionally he would sing in his soothing deep voice, but most of the time they would both embrace the peaceful quiet.

What would she give to hear that voice now? That gentle, deep voice driving away her fears, soothing her cries, calming her heart. This silence was not the peaceful quiet she shared with her Adad. No, this was an overwhelming, evil silence. It separated her from the world, letting her see, but not hear. Why wouldn't it leave? Go away, I don't want you anymore. I don't like the silence anymore. Thorin…Adad…make it go away. Where are you? Why can't I hear you?

Thorin watched helplessly as Elona tossed in her sleep. She had a fever, and was murmuring incoherent words from her dreams. Dis was by the fire, warming water for tea. "Is it done yet, Namadith?" Thorin looked over at her exasperated sigh. "I am not magic Thorin. I cannot simply make water boil with a snap of my fingers."

"It does not need to be boiling, it just needs to be warm," Dis sent him a glare. "Thorin, water needs to be boiling to make tea. Especially medicinal tea." Before Thorin could snap a reply, however, Gandalf strode into the room, followed by the rest of the company minus Fili and Kili. Oin pushed his way through and stepped over by Thorin. Thorin pretended not to notice when Oin winced at the bruises and gash on her face.

"How long has she been feverish?" Oin asked after feeling her head. "Ever since we found her. But Oin, that is not what I am worried about. Her wounds are not life threatening. Something is wrong in her head. She won't talk to me. In the last few hours, it seemed as if she couldn't focus her eyes."

Oin hummed in acknowledgement as he felt around her temples. "It seems to me as if she has a concussion. Her shoulder is very bruised, most likely kicked, and this will not scar if we keep it clean and out of the sun," he motioned to the gash running down her face.

"Yes, but what of her head Oin?" Thorin was indeed very worried that the orc had given her some sort of brain damage. It was very unlike her to not respond to anything.

"Patience lad," Oin huffed. "I'm getting there." He grumbled something unintelligible as he set about examining her head. he did a thorough examination, but when he saw her ears, Oin became distinctly pale.

"What is it?" Gandalf leaned over Oin's shoulder to look, and came away shaking his head. "Oh the poor thing." He cast a sympathetic glance at Thorin.

"What? What is wrong with her?" he demanded. Dis came over and put her hand over his arm. Oin didn't answer right away, but gently set Elona's head back on the pillow and stood up.

"Thorin, if what you say is true and my findings are correct, then it would be safe to say that Elona is perfectly sound in mind, but has gone completely deaf."

Shocked silence reigned in the room for many shocking moments. The company exchanged sorrowful looks with each other; they were too afraid to say anything, not knowing what reaction their king would have to this news.

"Deaf?" Thorin choked out. Then, regaining his composure, "How?" Oin sighed. "It is obvious that she was kicked at least once, but that shouldn't have affected both her ears. From the size of that orc, one kick could easily render her deaf in one ear, but she would have had to have at least two good knocks to her head for both ears to give out."

Thorin was downright furious. No one, except for Dis and Dwalin maybe, had ever seen such raw fury coursing through him. His hands were clenched at his sides, his face was growing steadily redder, and he was trembling with the force of his rage.

"Thorin," Dis murmured in a warning tone and tightened her grip on his arm. "Think of Elona. She needs her father right now, not a vengeful dwarf on an orc killing spree."

Thorin visibly deflated at her words. He said nothing to his sister, but shoved Oin out of the way and sat on the couch with Elona's head in his lap. He gently caressed her choppy hair and tried to not let any emotion show. "Leave us," was all he said, and the company needed no more encouragement. They silently filed out of the room, followed by Gandalf and Dis.

"Oh Elona…my beautiful daughter…my precious miracle…" a tear falling on Elona's cheek woke her up. She gazed curiously at Thorin, and in that moment Thorin saw the bright, curious elfling he knew and loved in place of the quiet morose child he found in the woods.

"Mizimul, I promise I shall never leave you again. I am so terribly sorry little one." Elona made no response, but slowly pushed herself up so that she was eye level with Thorin. "Adad?" her voice sounded hollow and flat, so unlike how she usually sounded. "Yes little one, I am here." Thorin tried to smile at her and reached a hand up to caress her cheek. "Adad, wha' 's w'on'? Why 'an't I 'ear?"

She talked in choppy, hesitating syllables. It was clear that she couldn't hear herself, and from the dull look in her eyes, she knew the answer too her question. She just didn't want to acknowledge it.

Thorin said nothing, but pulled her to his chest and wrapped his arms protectively around her, as if he could shield her from all the evil in the world. "Why? Why my daughter? Mahal why Elona?" he gently rocked her back and forth, gently murmuring small comforts into her hair.

Elona knew what was wrong. She could not hear, and probably never would again. She refused to let the tears fall onto the soft fur of Thorin's coat. She was stronger than that; she could battle this and win, but for now, all she wanted was to curl up like a cold kitten in Thorin's safe arms, and never leave.

She felt the deep rumbling of his voice in his chest, and his breath against her ear. She knew he was talking, but not hearing him was killing her inside. She needed his deep, soothing voice, his rumbling chuckle. Elona curled in on herself and clutched Thorin's coat tighter in her trembling hands. There was nothing more she could do, except adapt to her new life. Because that's what it was now, a whole new world without sound. But at least she had Thorin, and Kili and Fili, and Tauriel, and that was all she needed.

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><p><strong>AN: I know. I'm cruel. Did anyone cry reading this chapter? I did. Well, I seem to be crying over everything these days. I guess it comes with being a teenage girl O_o<strong>

**This story is almost done. We might have four or five more chapters left, and then on to the sequel! Yipee! So do what you amazing readers are best at, and gimme those reviews! (Please?)**


	16. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14: Adaption…kinda**

The days seemed to drag by in the Lonely Mountain. Elona's fever left her, but she remained quiet and wouldn't make eye contact with anyone. Kili, however, was anything _but _quiet. It took every scrap of patience Thorin had, what with keeping his nephew in bed and his daughter from succumbing to the torturous thoughts swirling in her head.

Thorin had no idea what exactly was going through Elona's mind when she stared into the flames for hours at a time, but he knew his elf, and they were most likely thoughts about how weak and helpless she was now.

Elona may be a little angle on the outside, but inside she was constantly at war, and it tore Thorin to pieces.

The first time he noticed it was when he gave her first present. It had been a journal with dark leather binding, and gold leaves and flowers engraved around the edges. She had taken the book, but not without much coaxing from the dwarf. It was a few days later that Thorin had realized the reason for her hesitation: she did not know what she had done to deserve such a gift. She may have been living as a princess in the mountain, but in her mind she was still a starving orphan girl on the streets of Lake Town.

From then on, Thorin did everything he could to make sure she knew she was loved. She eventually grew out of those thoughts and Thorin had thought they were gone completely a few weeks ago, but now they were apparently coming back with a vengeance. Thorin was determined to do something about them.

Elona hadn't left Thorin's room since the day he brought her home. She spent her days looking out the window or staring into the fire and at night would crawl into bed with him. Thorin was the only one she permitted to touch her; not even Fili or Tauriel could come within five feet of her, not that they would leave Kili alone for very long anyway.

"Elona, please, you must eat," Thorin knew she wouldn't be able to hear Tauriel's begs, but he was just as worried about Elona as she was. Elona kept her had stubbornly turned into the pillow, refusing to open her mouth for the spoon Tauriel had. Tauriel groaned and leaned her forehead into the couch in exasperation. Thorin smirked at her. "Are you going to give up yet?"

Tauriel raised her head and glared at him. "Do you want her to starve?" Thorin shrugged and turned back to the window. "Leave it on the table. She won't starve herself."

"You don't know that Thorin. Her stubbornness almost surpasses yours at times. Remember when you tried to make her wear a nightdress?" Thorin frowned. Elona had been adamant that she would not wear a dress to bed. "They get caught up around my knees," she had complained. "I feel like I can't move."

Thorin ignored the elf and became lost in his thoughts about Elona, until a sudden scream broke him from them.

He whipped around. Tauriel was trying to soothe Elona, but Elona was trying frantically to escape her hands. "No no no no no no NO!" Thorin immediately understood what had happened. Tauriel had reached out to Elona, and now Elona was having a flashback of her time with the orcs. He hurried across the room and gently pulled Tauriel back. "Leave us Tauriel. I will take care of her." he spoke over Elona's screams. Tauriel nodded forlornly and left the room, setting the oatmeal on a table on her way out.

Thorin slowly approached the wide-eyed elfling, as one would a spooked colt. He gently wrapped his arms around her and carried her over to his chair. "Hush Elona. You're fine." He had learned a few days prior that if Elona rested her head against his chest when he talked, she could vaguely make out what he was saying by the vibrations in his chest. They had worked on lip-reading, but Thorin couldn't keep her attention very long anymore. He held her as she cried, soundless, wracking sobs shaking her whole frame. Eventually she calmed down enough, her cries turning into pitiful sniffles and whimpers.

Thorin hated this. He hated seeing his string little elf reduced to being coddled and spoon fed. He hated hearing her cry over nightmares and vicious daydreams. He hated the fear and uncertainty in her eyes. Her eyes…they had lost their vibrant emerald sheen, and were now a murky green, like a dying leaf. His Beautiful Miracle was dying.

"Kili! Get back in bed!"

"But it's so boring!"

"Yeah, well that's what happens when you break a rib. Now sit down."

"I don't wanna!"

"Stop being such a baby Kee!"

"I'm not!"

"Mhmm. Do I need to get uncle?"

"No…"

"I thought so."

….

"Can I get up yet?"

"By Durin Kee! No!"

"Just for a moment?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"I'll love you forever,"

"You already do. Now shut up."

"You don't know that. I could secretly hate you and be plotting your death as we speak."

"Kili, go back to sleep already."

"But it's morning!"

"It's three in the morning and I want some sleep! Now shut up won't cha?"

"Fine…"

"Thank you."

…..

"Fee?"

"ARRRGGGGHHHHH!"

"Well someone's grumpy,"

"What do you _want_ Kili?!"

"Can I get up yet?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Annnnnnnnndddddddd...WE ARE DONE! WELCOME TO THE LAST CHAPTER OF ELONA MORIAH: THE BEAUTIFUL MIRACLE OF EREBOR!<strong>

**I know. It's a terrible chapter. But I am so excited for the sequel! I will post another chapter with the link when I have it up. It's name is Elona Moriah: Hope Arises**

**So some of you might have noticed the new cover photo. Congrats to those of you who recognized it as Elona! All I can say, is I have discovered Azaleas Dolls, and I have maybe fifteen different Elonas saved on my computer. Plus a few of my other OCs from other stories I haven't posted. **

**Now, I must go start the next book, so goodbye for now! I hope to see you all soon! Come Legolas, we must discuss your fate...**


	17. VERY IMPORTANT AN! SEQUEL IS UP!

Hey guys! The sequel is up! Here is the Url: s/10263333/1/Elona-Moriah-Hope-Arises

Thank you guys for following this story! It means so much to me. I hope you enjoy the next book as much as you enjoyed this one!


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